Statement: Saudi Arabia Should Close the File on Prisoners of Conscience and End All Forms of Arbitrary Detention.
We have been following the limited releases of several prisoners of conscience by the Saudi authorities over the past three months. These releases have included individuals who were unjustly sentenced to years in prison for their social media activity or peaceful expression of opinions. While this step is important and positive, and should be considered a fundamental right rather than a favor, more practical steps and further actions are needed to permanently close this file.
The freedom of all released individuals must be absolute and unconditional, including their right to travel and move freely. Additionally, they must no longer be subjected to state surveillance or security monitoring. Furthermore, the Saudi government must compensate them fully for the harm caused by their arbitrary arrests, unjust sentences, and years spent behind bars without justification.
All remaining prisoners of conscience must also be released, and this file must be closed urgently. The ongoing imprisonment of individuals violates fundamental human rights, inflicts physical, psychological, and social harm on detainees and their families, and undermines Saudi Arabia’s credibility. The Saudi government claims to be pursuing reforms, yet its actions continue to reflect oppression, persecution, and the violation of basic freedoms. As long as these injustices persist, any claims of reform or change will remain empty rhetoric without meaningful action.
The Saudi government must immediately release all prisoners of conscience, including scholars, intellectuals, activists, influencers, and military detainees, as well as those arrested solely for their social media activities. Closing the file on arbitrary detentions and ensuring the unconditional release of all political prisoners is no longer an option—it is an urgent necessity.
Saudi authorities must also recognize that this issue, while a source of suffering for detainees and their families, has also been a source of embarrassment for the government itself. The international exposure of these human rights violations has led to major disruptions in national interests, the obstruction of large-scale economic projects, and periods of diplomatic isolation for Saudi Arabia. Ending these violations is essential not only for justice but also for Saudi Arabia’s global standing and future stability.
To sign the statement.
