Urgent Action by SANAD for the Release of Mohammed Al-Hazza: Serious Violations and Threat to His Life in Saudi Prisons

SANAD Human Rights Organization has issued an urgent statement calling on Saudi authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Mohammed bin Ahmed bin Eid Al-Hazza Al-Ghamdi, who is facing a 23-year prison sentence for his work as a cartoonist and exercising his right to free expression. The organization stressed that Al-Hazza has endured severe violations during his detention, including torture, enforced disappearance, and medical neglect, which puts his life at significant risk.

In a related development, Official Spokesperson of SANAD, Fahad Alghuwaydi expressed deep regret over the human rights situation in Saudi Arabia. He pointed out that the detention of the caricature artist Mohammed Al-Hazza since 2018, followed by a 23-year non-appealable prison sentence, stems from his work at the Qatari newspaper Lusail during the diplomatic rift between Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Mr Alghuwaydi emphasized that this harsh sentence has no legal basis under Saudi law, and with the reconciliation between Qatar and Saudi Arabia, the reason for his arrest no longer holds.

Alghuwaydi further urged the families of detainees to reach out to human rights organizations and disclose the conditions of their loved ones, who remain forcibly disappeared without any clarity regarding the legality of their detention or their health status.

Speaking to Agence France-Presse (AFP), Samer Al-Alshumrani, Director of Operations at SANAD, highlighted that Al-Hazza’s case exemplifies the crackdown on freedom of expression in Saudi Arabia. He asserted that the Saudi judiciary is not independent and is subject to political influence, raising concerns about the future of human rights in the Kingdom.

In a significant development, AFP reported that Saudi authorities have reopened Al-Hazza’s case, despite previous indications of his imminent release.

SANAD calls for urgent action from international human rights organizations and the global community to pressure Saudi authorities to release Mohammed Al-Hazza. The organization warns that his life is in immediate danger due to ongoing medical neglect.