Saudi Authorities Release Businessman and Journalist Mansour Al-Ruqeiba After Nearly Three Years of Arbitrary Detention

According to human rights and media sources, the Saudi authorities have released businessman and journalist Mansour Al-Ruqeiba after nearly three years of detention, following his arrest in May 2022 for criticizing the Saudi authorities in a private gathering, where one of the attendees reported him.

Al-Ruqeiba was subjected to an unfair trial, which resulted in a harsh 27-year prison sentence before his eventual release.

Sanad Human Rights Organization had previously revealed the brutal nature of Al-Ruqeiba’s arrest. Security forces completely surrounded his neighborhood before storming his home with around 30 security personnel, confiscating his phones, and forcibly taking him into custody.

Following his arrest, his entire family was gathered into a single room and subjected to invasive searches, including women and children, whose phones were confiscated. Some women were forced to stand facing the wall without being allowed to move.

In addition to targeting Al-Ruqeiba, the authorities also arrested his father, Sheikh Ali Al-Ruqeiba, who remained in detention for two months before being released.

While Sanad Human Rights Organization welcomes the release of Mansour Al-Ruqeiba and his family, it emphasizes that this does not absolve Saudi authorities of responsibility for the grave human rights violations he endured, including his arbitrary detention and the unjust trial he faced.