The Case of Amani Al-Zain – A Victim of Saudi Arabia’s Repressive Tactics
Amani Al-Zain, a young Saudi activist and blogger, has been detained for over four years, held without formal charges in a system known for its oppressive tactics against dissenting voices. On May 17, 2020, Saudi security forces stormed her home in Jeddah and took her to an undisclosed location, only for news of her arrest to surface later. The Saudi regime’s ongoing pattern of suppressing free speech continues to affect not only Amani but many other prisoners of conscience languishing in Saudi jails.
Amani’s arrest followed a fierce online campaign led by Saudi Cyber trolls—referred to as “electronic flies” or “cyber armies”—who demanded her punishment for a video where she criticized Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. In October 2019, Amani appeared in an online conversation with Egyptian activist Wael Ghoneim, during which she sarcastically referred to the crown prince as “Abu Menshar” (Saw Man). The name was a clear reference to the brutal murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, whose body was dismembered using a bone saw by a Saudi government-linked hit squad, a crime widely attributed to Mohammed bin Salman. This connection was substantiated by international investigations.
In early 2020, Amani reposted the video of her conversation with Ghoneim. Almost immediately, she became the target of pro-regime trolls, who launched a social media campaign under the hashtag “Amani Al-Zain insults the crown prince.” The trolls called for her arrest and punishment for what they considered an affront to Saudi leadership, disregarding her right to free speech. Shortly after this online smear campaign, Amani was arrested.
Since her arrest, Amani Al-Zain has been kept in arbitrary detention, cut off from her family, denied legal representation, and prevented from accessing any information regarding her case. These violations are all too common for political prisoners in Saudi Arabia. The kingdom’s repressive tactics, including secret detentions, unfair trials, and extracting confessions under duress, have been widely condemned by human rights organizations.
Amani’s continued detention reflects a larger problem in Saudi Arabia, where dissenting voices—activists, journalists, and human rights advocates—are systematically silenced. Despite international outcry, there has been little progress in securing the release of political prisoners or improving human rights conditions in the kingdom.
Together for Justice calls on the United Nations, the Human Rights Council, and the international community to act urgently and pressure the Saudi government to reveal Amani Al-Zain’s whereabouts and investigate any mistreatment she has faced during her detention. We demand her immediate and unconditional release, as well as the release of all prisoners of conscience detained for peacefully expressing their views.
Freedom of expression is a fundamental human right. Amani Al-Zain’s case is a stark reminder of Saudi Arabia’s disregard for this right, and it is incumbent upon the global community to hold the kingdom accountable for its violations. Only through sustained international pressure can justice be achieved for Amani and countless others who remain behind bars for speaking the truth.
