Saudi Arabia Arbitrarily Detains Human Rights Lawyer Mohammed Al-Bajadi Despite Completion of Sentence
Together for Justice reiterates its urgent call for the immediate and unconditional release of Saudi lawyer and human rights defender Mohammed Saleh Al-Bajadi, who remains in detention despite having completed his prison sentence in 2023. His continued imprisonment constitutes a clear violation of domestic and international law and reflects the persistent pattern of repression employed by Saudi authorities against independent voices and peaceful advocates for justice and human rights.
The concern expressed by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders over Al-Bajadi’s prolonged detention underscores the severity of this case. This is not an isolated procedural oversight—it is a deliberate act of reprisal that demonstrates a broader policy of silencing dissent through arbitrary detention. There is no legal or moral justification for keeping Al-Bajadi behind bars; his imprisonment appears to be an extension of punishment for his prior peaceful activism and calls for reform.
A co-founder of the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association (ACPRA), Al-Bajadi has long advocated for justice and transparency. For this, he has faced systematic targeting, including torture, enforced disappearance, and denial of legal rights. He was arrested on 24 May 2018 during a late-night raid by State Security officers, who entered his home without a warrant and forcibly disappeared him for a period. He was later subjected to a trial that failed to meet even the most basic standards of due process. These events mirror the pattern of abuse he had previously endured since 2011, when authorities began dismantling ACPRA and prosecuting its members solely for their peaceful human rights work.
It is deeply concerning that Saudi authorities continue to treat human rights defenders as enemies of the state, rather than as essential partners in reform and accountability. The use of arbitrary arrests, torture, and prolonged detention has not only eroded public trust but has also drawn widespread international condemnation. Meanwhile, the government channels vast resources into image-building campaigns through entertainment, sports, and international investments in an attempt to obscure the realities on the ground.
Al-Bajadi’s case is emblematic of a broader crackdown on civil society and independent voices in Saudi Arabia. His experience reflects a disturbing trend: arrest without legal basis, enforced disappearance, denial of access to legal representation and family, unfair trial proceedings, and continued detention beyond the completion of his sentence—all in flagrant breach of fundamental rights and legal norms.
This ongoing repression must end. The continued detention of Mohammed Al-Bajadi highlights the urgent need for meaningful international action to halt the escalation of human rights violations in Saudi Arabia. The deliberate silencing of peaceful advocates must not be tolerated by the international community.
The unjustified imprisonment of Al-Bajadi despite the expiry of his sentence exposes the hollow nature of the government’s reform rhetoric. It reinforces the view that political retaliation—not the rule of law—remains the governing principle in such cases. Laws are selectively applied, rights are routinely denied, and individuals like Al-Bajadi are left at the mercy of arbitrary decisions by state security agencies. Together for Justice calls once again for the immediate release of Mohammed Al-Bajadi and all prisoners of conscience in Saudi Arabia. We urge the United Nations and the broader international community to intensify pressure on the Saudi authorities to fulfil their legal obligations, end the use of arbitrary detention, and uphold the rights of those who peacefully advocate for justice, freedom, and human dignity.
