The Fourth Anniversary of Halima Al-Huwaiti’s Enforced Disappearance: A Case Reflecting the Plight of the Al-Huwaitat Community in Saudi Arabia

This week marks the fourth anniversary of Halima Al-Huwaiti’s enforced disappearance at the hands of Saudi authorities. Her case stands as one of the most prominent examples of enforced disappearances targeting residents of the Al-Huwaitat region since the onset of forced evictions to implement the NEOM project.

Halima Al-Huwaiti was arrested along with her husband, son, and her husband’s brothers in November 2020 for refusing to abandon their homes by force. Since then, no information about her has been made available, a blatant violation of international and domestic laws that protect individuals from enforced disappearance and guarantee their right to a fair trial.

The Sanad Rights Organization considers the case of Halima Al-Huwaiti and her family members a glaring example of the grave human rights violations accompanying the forced eviction of the Al-Huwaitat community. Sanad calls for the immediate disclosure of Halima Al-Huwaiti’s whereabouts, her unconditional release, and that of her family members, in addition to appropriate material and moral compensation for the violations they have endured.

The continuation of such violations, including enforced disappearances and arbitrary arrests, contradicts Saudi Arabia’s international obligations and calls for urgent action by the international community to pressure the Saudi authorities to end these abuses and hold those responsible accountable.