Saudi Authorities Release Nasser Al-Ghamdi After Two and a Half Years of Arbitrary Detention

The Saudi authorities have released Nasser Abdulrahim Al-Ghamdi after two and a half years of arbitrary detention, which began in September 2022 due to tweets he posted on X.

Sanad Human Rights Organization previously revealed that Al-Ghamdi was arrested for criticizing the Ministry of Health’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, addressing unemployment issues, and condemning the use of government-backed bots to suppress trending hashtags reflecting public demands.

In late 2023, the Specialized Criminal Court sentenced him to 13 years in prison over these very tweets.

While Sanad welcomes Al-Ghamdi’s release and congratulates him and his family, the organization stresses that this does not absolve Saudi authorities of accountability for the violations he endured, including his unjustified arbitrary detention.

Sanad reiterates its call for the release of all prisoners of conscience who remain behind bars solely for peacefully expressing their opinions.