Saudi Journalist Forcibly Disappeared After Criticising Ibrahim al-Arjani’s Influence

Together for Justice expresses grave concern over the ongoing enforced disappearance of Saudi journalist Hassan Mufti, who has been missing since mid-2024 following his arrest by Saudi security forces. For nearly a year, no official information has been provided about his whereabouts, the charges against him—if any—or his legal status.

According to multiple sources familiar with the case, Mufti’s arrest was not coincidental. It came shortly after he criticised Ibrahim al-Arjani, an Egyptian businessman with deep ties to the Sisi regime and increasingly visible influence in cross-border affairs, including military, security, and commercial activities in the Sinai Peninsula. Al-Arjani, who leads the so-called Union of Arab Tribes, is widely reported to have a history of involvement in illicit trade and smuggling networks, allegations that have never been adequately investigated due to his apparent immunity under both Egyptian and Saudi patronage.

Mufti, known for his reformist views and open criticism of authoritarianism and economic mismanagement in the Kingdom, reportedly raised questions about Saudi Arabia’s growing cooperation with al-Arjani’s operations in Sinai—an area that has seen joint security interests and covert dealings between Riyadh and Cairo.

His disappearance raises deeply troubling concerns not only about freedom of expression in Saudi Arabia but also about the Kingdom’s apparent willingness to suppress dissent to protect foreign alliances and shared political agendas. The continued absence of any official explanation or access to legal counsel for Mufti adds to the disturbing pattern of repression under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, where criticism of domestic or foreign policy is met with brutal silence.

We remind the international community that this is not an isolated case. Saudi Arabia has forcibly disappeared scores of journalists, scholars, activists, and religious figures in recent years as part of a broader crackdown on civil society and independent thought. The regime’s use of secrecy, torture, and prolonged incommunicado detention is a flagrant violation of international law, including the Convention against Torture and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Together for Justice holds the Saudi regime fully responsible for the safety and wellbeing of Hassan Mufti, and calls on the international community and all relevant bodies to:

• Demand his immediate and unconditional release
• Launch an independent investigation…
• Suspend political engagement with the regime until accountability is ensured

The international community must not remain complicit in this repression. Every day that Hassan Mufti remains disappeared is another day that justice is denied—and the silence only strengthens those who operate above the law.