State Terrorism: Ahmed Al-Huwaiti – A Symbol of a Tribe Erased for NEOM
October 1 marks five years since the arrest of Ahmed Abdulnasir Al-Huwaiti, who was only 19 years old when Saudi authorities detained him for peacefully opposing the forced displacement of his tribe from their ancestral lands in northwest Saudi Arabia to make way for the regime’s flagship mega-project — NEOM.
Since that day, Ahmed has languished in prison, serving a 20-year unjust sentence handed down after a trial marred by due process violations. His father was sentenced to 27 years, and his uncle to 35 years, all for the same “crime” — refusing to abandon their homes and heritage.
Ahmed’s story is not an isolated case. It is part of a systematic policy of state terrorism and ethnic cleansing targeting the Al-Huwaitat tribe, whose members have been detained, tortured, and even sentenced to death for defending their land and dignity against the regime’s bulldozers.
In 2020, Ahmed’s cousin, Abdulrahim Al-Huwaiti, was shot dead inside his home after publicly rejecting eviction orders. The authorities claimed he fired at security forces, yet evidence and witness testimonies suggest he was killed simply for saying “no” to NEOM.
Since then, dozens of Al-Huwaitat tribespeople have been tried before Saudi Arabia’s Specialized Criminal Court — the same court that handles “terrorism” cases — and handed brutal sentences ranging from 10 to 50 years, with at least three death sentences confirmed.
What the regime calls “development” is, in truth, state-engineered repression — an attempt to erase indigenous communities and silence any form of dissent through intimidation, imprisonment, and execution.
Behind NEOM’s glossy marketing and futuristic promises lies a reality of demolition, displacement, and death. The project, sold to the world as a vision of progress, is built on the ruins of villages and the suffering of families who dared to demand justice.
For the people of Al-Huwaitat, NEOM represents not opportunity, but oppression — a modern face for an old crime: forced removal in the name of profit.
Together for Justice affirms that what is happening in the NEOM region constitutes a grave violation of international law, including the right to housing, freedom of expression, and protection from arbitrary detention. These acts amount to a state policy of terror and collective punishment.
We call on the international community, human rights bodies, and UN mechanisms to:
- Demand the immediate release of Ahmed Al-Huwaiti and all Al-Huwaitat detainees.
- Rescind all unjust sentences issued against peaceful opponents of forced displacement.
- Launch an independent international investigation into killings, arrests, and abuses linked to the NEOM project.
- Suspend NEOM’s development until the rights of the indigenous community are fully guaranteed and compensated.
Five years on, Ahmed remains a symbol of resistance — a young man punished for refusing to surrender his land and his voice.
His story stands as a testimony to a simple truth: NEOM is not the future — it is the face of state terror.
