Two Years After Completing His Sentence — Saudi Court Issues New 25-Year Prison Term Against Human Rights Activist Mohammed Al-Bajadi

The Specialized Criminal Court has issued a new 25-year prison sentence against Saudi human rights activist Mohammed Al-Bajadi, one of the founders of the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association (HASAM), more than two years after the end of his previous prison term.

According to multiple human rights sources, the hearing took place on October 27, during which the Specialized Criminal Court issued the new verdict despite Al-Bajadi’s continued detention since 2018 without legal basis, following the completion of his prior sentence in 2023.

Al-Bajadi was originally arrested in May 2018 over his peaceful activism and his role in founding (HASAM), and was sentenced to 10 years in prison, with five years suspended. Despite the end of his sentence, Saudi authorities have kept him in arbitrary detention.

During his imprisonment, Al-Bajadi was subjected to severe violations, including prolonged solitary confinement, psychological and physical torture, denial of family visits and communication, and being prevented from appointing a lawyer to defend him.

Saudi authorities have a repeated pattern of retrying detainees after they have served their sentences, through sham trials lacking minimum standards of justice, in an attempt to justify continued arbitrary detention and silence voices calling for reform and accountability.

Mohammed Al-Bajadi is considered one of Saudi Arabia’s most prominent human rights activists. He was previously arrested in 2007, 2008, and 2011, subjected to unfair trials, and sentenced to imprisonment and travel bans, before being released in 2016 after spending more than five years in detention.