Continued Detention of Human Rights Activist Khaled Al-Omeir

Saudi authorities arrested activist Khaled Al-Omeir in June 2018, due to his defense of the Palestinian cause, among other charges related to freedom of expression, and he remains in detention to this day.

The criminal court issued a ruling sentencing Khaled to 7 years in prison. Later, the sentence was increased to 9 years because of his sympathy with the Palestinian cause, as the Saudi government considered defending Palestine an act harmful to Saudi security.

Al-Omeir was arrested several times; the first was in 2008, during which he experienced physical torture and poor treatment. His latest arrest was in 2018 after he attempted to file a lawsuit against the officer who had tortured him during his first detention. After this, he was prevented from communicating with his family and from appointing a lawyer.