Saudi authorities arbitrarily detain dozens of activists beyond their release dates
Despite completing their prison sentences, the Saudi authorities refused to release dozens of prisoners of conscience, or at least to reveal the reasons for their continued detention while continuing to deprive them their family contact or to appeal against these legal violations before the Public Prosecution.
The following names are among those who the authorities refused to release: journalist Musaed Al-Kathiri; activist Yahya Al-Wadaei; activist Muhannad Al-Muhaimid; tweeter Abdul-Aziz Al-Awda; Dr. Walid Al-Huwairini; Sheikh Khaled Al-Rashed; and Dr. Habib bin Mualla.
Journalist Musaed Al-Kathiri, for example, should have been released in February 2021, after spending his three-and-a-half-year sentence. But, he was kept detained in inhumane conditions without legal basis or charge.
Saudi journalist Musaed bin Hamad Al Kathiri, who has a long experience of education for many years, was arrested as part of the September 2017 Crackdown campaign, which was launched by Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) against dozens of writers, thinkers, writers, activists, and opponents that do not support his policies.
Al-Kathiri was denied family contact for a long period of time, a fate shared by prisoners of conscience held within the Kingdom. In addition, he was unable to see the case file or know his charges, nor could he choose an attorney to represent him. He was sentenced to three years in prison after a secret and politicized trial.
Al-Kathiri and the other prisoners endured maltreatment and difficult detention conditions that had nothing to do with international standards. He endured solitary confinement as well. Despite completing his full sentence, he was kept in detention for unknown reasons.
Together for Justice reaffirms its appeal to the relevant UN authorities and the free people around hte world to band together to put pressure on the Saudi authorities to free all political prisoners and prisoners of conscience as well as to launch thorough investigations into the abuses they have endured.
Together for Justice also affirms that these people should not be detained in the first place. In spite of this, the Saudi authorities attempted to legitimize the situation by prosecuting them; however, those trials were farcical plays in which the fundamental requirements of justice were not fulfilled. After ending their sentence, they were kept held without any legal basis.
