Saudi Authorities Release Human Rights Activist Fadel Al-Manasef After Completing 14-Year Sentence
According to human rights and media sources, Saudi authorities have released prominent human rights activist Fadel Al-Manasef after he served a full 14-year sentence stemming from his arrest in October 2011 for his peaceful activism and his advocacy for the release of prisoners of conscience.
Al-Manasef is considered one of the leading rights defenders in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province. He was arrested multiple times for participating in peaceful protests and calling for reforms and respect for human rights. In 2009, he was detained for three months over his participation in a peaceful sit-in. He was re-arrested in April 2011 for possessing a handkerchief with phrases authorities deemed “inappropriate,” and released five months later.
His final arrest came in October 2011, after he opposed the unlawful detention of two elderly individuals used by authorities to pressure their sons who were participating in a peaceful protest. Al-Manasef was arrested after informing authorities of the illegality of the detention, and he has remained imprisoned since.
Throughout his imprisonment, Al-Manasef endured severe violations, including physical and psychological torture, 314 days of visitation bans, and over four months in solitary confinement. In September 2014, he was tried before the Specialized Criminal Court in what was widely described as an unfair trial, resulting in a 14-year prison sentence, a 14-year travel ban, and a 100,000 SAR ($26,000) fine.
Sanad Human Rights Organization welcomes and congratulates Fadel Al-Manasef and his family on his long-overdue release and calls on the Saudi authorities to release all prisoners of conscience and to end the ongoing violations against activists and human rights defenders.
