From Hamad Airport to Saudi Prisons: The Eighth Anniversary of Mohammed Al-Otaibi’s Abduction

Today, May 24, 2025, marks the eighth anniversary of the arrest of Saudi human rights activist Mohammed Al-Otaibi, who was detained by Qatari authorities at Hamad International Airport while attempting to travel to Norway in 2017. He was then forcibly handed over to the Saudi government, and remains under arbitrary detention to this day.

Al-Otaibi is regarded as one of Saudi Arabia’s most prominent human rights defenders. He co-founded the Union for Human Rights and was widely known for his advocacy to release prisoners of conscience and his active participation in rights-focused forums and statements. He had previously been detained in 2009 for participating in a sit-in protesting the war on Gaza.

In 2017, the Saudi Specialized Criminal Court sentenced him to 14 years in prison, with an additional 14-year travel ban, on charges that included founding an unlicensed organization, inciting public opinion, interfering in public affairs, and traveling to Qatar. The sentence was later increased to 17 years upon appeal.

Sanad Human Rights Organization renews its call for the immediate and unconditional release of Mohammed Al-Otaibi and all prisoners of conscience in Saudi Arabia. It also urges the international community, human rights organizations, and UN special rapporteurs to intensify pressure on Saudi authorities to end their ongoing violations against activists and human rights defenders.