Urgent International Action Needed to Save the Life of Sheikh Salman Al-Ouda
Together for Justice expresses its grave concern over the systematic abuse and life-threatening conditions that Saudi authorities continue to impose on prominent scholar and reformist Sheikh Salman Al-Ouda, who has been detained since September 2017 for nothing more than expressing a call for reconciliation between Gulf nations. After nearly eight years of arbitrary detention—most of which he has spent in solitary confinement—his health has severely deteriorated. His son, Abdullah Al-Ouda, has revealed that his father is on the verge of losing sight in one eye, a direct consequence of prolonged medical neglect, inhumane treatment, and relentless psychological torture.
Sheikh Salman Al-Ouda was arrested in 2017 after posting a tweet during the height of the Gulf crisis, in which he called for unity among Arab brothers. While Saudi Arabia has since restored its relations with Qatar through the Al-Ula Agreement in 2021, Al-Ouda remains locked away under horrific conditions, subjected to judicial delays, abusive treatment, and a complete mockery of justice. His continued detention is not about national security, nor is it about law enforcement—it is a politically motivated vendetta against a voice for reform.
From the moment of his arrest, Saudi authorities have systematically violated his fundamental rights, subjecting him to extended solitary confinement, arbitrary trial delays, and total isolation from his family and legal counsel. His physical and psychological suffering has only intensified over the years, yet his case remains in legal limbo, with no final verdict since 2021. Even more disturbingly, the Saudi Public Prosecution continues to demand the death penalty against him, in a grotesque misuse of the legal system that seeks to silence any form of independent thought.
The Saudi regime’s repression does not stop with Sheikh Al-Ouda himself. His entire family has been subjected to collective punishment, with all members facing arbitrary travel bans simply because they are related to him. His brother, Khaled Al-Ouda, was also arrested in 2017 for simply demanding Salman’s release, further exposing the kingdom’s brutal tactics in suppressing dissent. These actions are not just violations of domestic and international law—they reflect a deep-rooted culture of authoritarian vengeance against anyone who dares to speak out.
Sheikh Al-Ouda’s continued imprisonment is a flagrant violation of international human rights law, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 9), which prohibits arbitrary detention, and the United Nations Convention Against Torture (Article 5), which classifies prolonged solitary confinement and medical neglect as inhumane and degrading treatment. His case epitomizes the Saudi government’s ruthless strategy of using the judicial system as a weapon to crush peaceful activism and silence voices advocating for reform.
Together for Justice urgently calls on the United Nations, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, and the broader international community to intervene immediately to secure the unconditional release of Sheikh Salman Al-Ouda. His life is in imminent danger, and any further delay in action will make the international community complicit in this gross miscarriage of justice.
Furthermore, we urge the international community to exert maximum pressure on the Saudi authorities to end all forms of collective punishment against Al-Ouda’s family, lift the arbitrary travel bans, and immediately release his brother Khaled Al-Ouda. These unjustified punitive measures highlight the Saudi government’s relentless persecution of reformists, scholars, and human rights advocates under the guise of national security.
The international community must not remain passive in the face of such extreme violations of basic human rights. The continued imprisonment of Sheikh Salman Al-Ouda is not just a matter of justice—it is a test of the world’s commitment to defending human dignity. Silence is no longer an option. It is time for urgent diplomatic and legal action before it is too late.
His detention has never been about justice—it has always been about revenge. The world must act now to stop this cruelty.
