Saudi Arabia continues psychological pressure on the family of human rights activist Dr. Mohammed Al-Qahtani

In a new and alarming development in the case of Dr. Mohammed Al-Qahtani’s enforced disappearance, his family received a phone call on Thursday, May 30th, at 6:30 AM, after a year and eight months of enforced disappearance. His wife, Maha Al-Qahtani, mentioned on Twitter that the call began with overlapping voices, then she clearly heard her husband’s voice saying “Let go, it’s better for you” and “Hello, hello,” before the call was abruptly cut off without allowing them to have a complete conversation.

Dr. Mohammed Al-Qahtani is a prominent human rights activist and a founding member of the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association (ACPRA). He was arrested in March 2013 and sentenced to 10 years in prison for his peaceful human rights activities. Since then, he has faced numerous human rights violations in prison, including solitary confinement and torture. In November 2022, Saudi authorities were supposed to release him after serving his sentence. However, they forcibly disappeared him in October of the same year, disregarding human rights or international and local laws. It is noteworthy that many like Al-Qahtani are still detained by Saudi authorities even after completing their sentences.

SANAD Organisation for Human Rights strongly condemns the continued enforced disappearance of Dr. Mohammed Al-Qahtani and denounces the inhumane treatment he is subjected to, along with the psychological pressure on his family by the Saudi government. SANAD Organisation calls on the authorities to immediately disclose his whereabouts, ensure his physical and mental well-being, and release him and all activists detained for their peaceful and human rights activities.