Muhammad Al-Otaibi: From Defender of Prisoners of Conscience to a Prisoner in Saudi Arabia

On May 24, 2017, human rights activist Mohammed al-Otaibi was arrested at Hamad International Airport while attempting to travel to Norway. The Qatari authorities handed him over to the Saudi government, and he has been arbitrarily detained ever since.

Al-Otaibi is a human rights activist and one of the founders of the Union for Human Rights. He has made efforts to demand the release of prisoners of conscience and has participated in many seminars focused on human rights. He also signed several statements on this matter. He was previously arrested in 2009 for participating in a sit-in against the war on Gaza.

The Specialized Criminal Court charged him with founding an unlicensed association, inciting public opinion with the intent to create chaos, intervening in public affairs, and traveling to Qatar. He was sentenced to 14 years in prison and a subsequent 14-year travel ban. This sentence was increased to 17 years in prison after an appeal.