The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) joins the urgent action launched by the Sanad Organization for the release of cartoonist Mohammed Al-Hazaa after a 23-year prison sentence

In a statement, the CPJ called on Saudi authorities to release Mohammed Al-Hazaa, the cartoonist for the Qatari newspaper Lusail, who was sentenced to 23 years in prison due to his cartoons.

Yeganeh Rezaian, the interim coordinator for CPJ’s Middle East and North Africa program, said: “By sentencing Mohammed Al-Hazaa, who has already spent six years behind bars, to an additional 23-year term, the Saudi regime has once again shown its disgraceful commitment to targeting journalists, undermining press freedom, and terrorizing Saudi journalists both inside and outside the country. It is time to end this ongoing pattern of imprisoning journalists. Saudi authorities must release Al-Hazaa and drop all charges against him.”

The CPJ mentioned that it had sent an email to the Saudi embassy in Washington, D.C., seeking comment on the reasons behind Al-Hazaa’s sentencing but did not receive an immediate response.

This action by the CPJ came in response to Sanad’s call for urgent global action to pressure Saudi authorities to release Mohammed Al-Hazaa, who has been detained for his cartoons since February 2018.

It is worth noting that Mohammed Al-Hazaa Al-Ghamdi is a Saudi cartoonist who was arrested due to his work with Lusail newspaper and his expression of opinions on social media. He faced an unfair trial and was charged with offenses related to freedom of expression, resulting in a 23-year prison sentence. Since his arrest, Al-Hazaa has endured multiple violations, including psychological and physical torture, enforced disappearance, deprivation of communication with his family, and medical neglect, which has severely impacted his health.

The CPJ is a non-profit organization founded in 1981 and based in New York City. Its mission is to defend press freedom and protect journalists from abuses by authoritarian governments. The organization provides support to journalists around the world to ensure they can work freely and safely.