UN Rapporteur Calls for Release of Mohammed al-Bejadi After Sentence Completion

Mary Lawlor, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, expressed deep concern over the continued detention of Saudi human rights activist Mohammed al-Bejadi, despite the fact that he completed his prison sentence in 2023.

In a tweet posted on her official account, Lawlor stated:

“Disturbing news of detained #Saudi HRD Mohammed al-Bejadi, arrested in 2018 in relation to his peaceful work, ended his prison sentence in 2023 but, like many other Saudi HRDs, remains held. They should all be released.”

Saudi authorities arrested al-Bejadi in May 2018 due to his role in co-founding the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association (ACPRA)—a peaceful civic group that advocated for political reform and respect for human rights.

This detention marks the latest in a series of repeated arrests targeting al-Bejadi. He had previously been detained in 2007, 2008, and 2011. Following his 2011 arrest, the Specialized Criminal Court sentenced him to eight years in prison, with half the term suspended, followed by a four-year travel ban. He spent over five years in detention before being released in 2016.

Since his most recent arrest in 2018, al-Bejadi has faced numerous serious violations, including:

Arbitrary detention without clear charges

Prolonged solitary confinement

Psychological and physical torture

Denial of family visits and communication

Denial of legal representation

Sanad Human Rights Organization strongly condemns the ongoing detention of Mohammed al-Bejadi, asserting that such actions constitute a blatant violation of international law and fundamental principles of justice. The organization calls on Saudi authorities to immediately and unconditionally release al-Bejadi and all other peaceful prisoners of conscience and human rights defenders.