After 7 Years of Arbitrary Detention: Dr. Abdulmohsen Al-Ahmad Released Despite Sentence Ending Over 4 Months Ago

The Saudi authorities have released Dr. Abdulmohsen Al-Ahmad, a respiratory specialist and well-known preacher, more than four months after the completion of his 7-year prison sentence, which officially ended in September 2024.

Dr. Al-Ahmad was arrested in September 2017 during a nighttime raid on his home, during which his family was terrorized. He was taken to an unknown location without any clear charges. He then spent six months in enforced disappearance before it was later revealed that he was being held in Al-Ha’ir Prison in Riyadh. During his detention, he was subjected to physical and psychological torture, held in solitary confinement, and denied the right to legal representation throughout his trial.

Dr. Al-Ahmad is a native of Riyadh and holds a degree in respiratory medicine from Ball State University in the United States, in addition to an Islamic studies degree from Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University.

The Sanad Human Rights Organization extends its warmest congratulations to Dr. Abdulmohsen Al-Ahmad and his family on his release and safe return after years of injustice and suffering. However, Sanad emphasizes that this release—while significant—does not absolve the Saudi authorities of their responsibility for the serious violations committed against him, including arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, torture, and denial of a fair trial.

Dr. Al-Ahmad’s case remains a stark reminder of the plight of prisoners of conscience in Saudi Arabia. Sanad renews its call for the immediate and unconditional release of all prisoners of conscience, accountability for those responsible for human rights abuses, and an end to the repression of intellectuals, preachers, and individuals exercising their right to free expression.