Sanad Organization: Alarming Rise in Incitement Campaigns Against Participants in #Dismiss_Minister_of_Human_Resources Hashtag
Sanad Rights Organization has issued a new report documenting a worrying escalation in incitement and discrediting campaigns targeting Saudi citizens who participated in the widely trending hashtag #Dismiss_Minister_of_Human_Resources.
The report highlights that Saudi authorities have returned to a familiar pattern—targeting participants in public discussions, especially those addressing livelihood issues such as unemployment and mismanagement—through coordinated attacks by both real and anonymous accounts accusing them of betrayal and foreign allegiance.
Sanad emphasized that these campaigns often go beyond defamation, escalating into arbitrary arrests. The organization has previously documented cases of citizens detained over tweets calling for reform or jobs, who were later charged with vague offenses like “disturbing public order” or “supporting terrorism.”
The latest hashtag, which topped Saudi trends in early April, reflected growing public frustration with the Ministry of Human Resources’ failure to tackle the worsening unemployment crisis and a series of unfair policies affecting thousands of job seekers.
The report also criticized the lack of independent media coverage inside Saudi Arabia, stating that local outlets operate as government mouthpieces, ignoring public demands in favor of promoting official narratives.
Sanad shed light on several documented cases of individuals who remain behind bars for similar tweets, including Bandar Al-Jahdali, Zaid Al-Roqi, Abdulrahman Al-Sheikhi, and Najwa Al-Humaid—all arrested for advocating employment opportunities for Saudi youth.
In conclusion, Sanad called for the immediate and unconditional release of all prisoners of conscience and an end to the misuse of anti-terror laws to criminalize peaceful expression. The organization also urged the government to respect the right to criticize and demand reform, and to respond to public concerns instead of persecuting and discrediting them.
This report comes at a time when popular calls for real reform are growing, amid a stifling climate of surveillance and intimidation that, Sanad warns, threatens the fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens in Saudi Arabia.
