Saudi Authorities Continue to Conceal the Whereabouts of Political Prisoner Aya Al-Juhani After Her Sentence Ends
Saudi authorities persist in their refusal to reveal the fate of political detainee Aya Al-Juhani, who has been forcibly disappeared for nearly five years after her sentence ended and the authorities refused to release her.
Aya Al-Juhani was arrested in April 2016 for peacefully expressing her views on social media, prompting the Saudi authorities to retaliate by imprisoning her and depriving her of her freedom for daring to exercise her right to free expression. After a trial before the Specialized Criminal Court, she was sentenced to three years in prison, and she was supposed to be released in April 2019.
However, instead of releasing her, the Saudi authorities initiated a new, undisclosed case against her, and since August 2019, no one has known anything about Aya’s whereabouts or the reasons for her continued detention.
Since her arrest, Aya Al-Juhani has been subjected to severe psychological and physical abuse, which has taken a significant toll on her health. Prolonged solitary confinement, coupled with repeated verbal insults and the denial of medical care, has left her in a deteriorating condition.
Her prolonged detention under these harsh circumstances without access to adequate healthcare has raised serious concerns about her well-being, as her physical and mental health continue to decline with each passing day.
The court also denied her the opportunity to appoint a lawyer to defend her, and she was held in solitary confinement for a year, a severe violation of her human rights.
Eight years of humiliation, degradation, and enforced disappearance, which international law considers a war crime due to its severity, continue to illustrate the Saudi authorities’ persistence in treating human rights defenders with medieval cruelty.
In rejecting and condemning the phenomenon of enforced disappearance, we call on governments and human rights organisations to work diligently to ensure the protection of human rights and to provide justice for the victims.
Enforced disappearance is a grave violation of human rights and is recognized as a crime against humanity under international law. This cruel practice not only strips individuals of their freedom but also subjects them to inhumane conditions, including torture and mistreatment, while their families are left in a state of agonizing uncertainty.
The use of enforced disappearance undermines the rule of law, erodes trust in state institutions, and perpetuates a cycle of fear and oppression. It is imperative that the international community takes a firm stand against this abhorrent practice and demands accountability from those who perpetrate such crimes.
