Release of Human Rights Activist Dr. Mohammed Al-Qahtani After More Than Two Years Beyond His Sentence

Saudi authorities have released human rights activist Dr. Mohammed Al-Qahtani after detaining him for more than two years beyond the end of his arbitrary sentence in October 2022.

Dr. Mohammed Al-Qahtani, a founding member of the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association (HASAM), was arrested in March 2013 and sentenced to ten years in prison for his peaceful human rights activism. During his detention, he faced numerous violations, including solitary confinement, mistreatment, and enforced disappearance.

Sanad Human Rights Organization welcomes the release of Dr. Mohammed Al-Qahtani but emphasizes that this step does not absolve Saudi authorities of responsibility for the violations he endured. The organization calls for immediate and adequate compensation for Dr. Al-Qahtani and urges the unconditional release of all prisoners of conscience currently held arbitrarily. Sanad also highlights the need to ensure that such violations are not repeated in the future.