September Returns – Saudi Authorities Revive One of the Darkest Waves of Repression

As September 2025 unfolds, the memory of September 2017 resurfaces — a dark chapter when Saudi authorities launched one of the most brutal crackdowns in the country’s modern history. Dozens of scholars, academics, activists, and public figures were arrested merely for expressing peaceful opinions or refusing to fully align with the regime’s political agenda.

September Never Ended                                                                   

Eight years on, the repression has not ended. Many of those arrested in 2017 remain behind bars today, subjected to politicized trials and facing fabricated charges, with some still threatened with death sentences.

Among the most prominent detainees are:

• Sheikh Salman al-Ouda
• Dr. Awad al-Qarni
• Dr. Ali al-Omari

Their continued detention reflects not only a blatant violation of international law but also the persistence of a systematic policy to silence dissent and intimidate society.

Baseless Charges and Sham Trials

Saudi authorities continue to rely on vague accusations such as “disobeying the ruler,” “supporting terrorism,” or “harming national reputation.” These charges are used as a façade to justify arbitrary detention and suppress freedom of expression. Trials are conducted in secrecy, with detainees denied the right to proper legal defense, and confessions extracted under torture or duress.

Repression Without Accountability

Despite repeated international condemnation, the Saudi regime has doubled down on repression, expanding it in recent years to target women’s rights defenders, journalists, writers, academics, and even Palestinian and Jordanian residents detained for showing solidarity with Palestine.

Together for Justice stresses that the continuation of this repressive policy amounts to a crime against humanity. We call for:

• The immediate and unconditional release of all September detainees and prisoners of conscience.
• An end to politicized death penalty cases against scholars and activists.
• Allowing independent international observers to access Saudi prisons.
• Accountability for those responsible for systematic violations.

From September 2017 to September 2025, the Saudi repression machine has never stopped. The detainees’ suffering is a stain on justice and a reminder that without urgent international intervention, the cycle of silence, torture, and fabricated trials will continue.