UN Experts Address Saudi Authorities over the Retrial and 25-Year Sentence of Mohammed al-Bajadi
A group of United Nations human rights experts has expressed grave concern regarding the retrial of human rights defender Mr. Mohammed al-Bajadi and the imposition of an additional 25-year prison sentence, citing serious violations of due process and fair trial guarantees.
.In a formal communication dated 15 December 2025 (Ref.: AL SAU 2/2025), four Special Rapporteurs — on the situation of human rights defenders; on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression; on the independence of judges and lawyers; and on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism — addressed the Government of Saudi Arabia to raise these concerns.
.The experts noted that Mr. al-Bajadi, a founding member of the now-banned Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association (ACPRA), was retried before the Specialized Criminal Court (SCC) and sentenced on 27 October 2025 to an additional 25 years in prison. According to the communication, he had no access to a lawyer, the charges were not made public, and it was unclear what he had been charged with at the time of writing. He remains detained in Buraydah Prison.
.The communication recalls that Mr. al-Bajadi had previously been the subject of Opinion No. 38/2015 by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which determined that his detention was arbitrary because it was linked to the peaceful exercise of his rights to freedom of expression and association.
. The experts further highlighted concerns that counter-terrorism legislation has been used in a broad and vague manner to criminalize peaceful human rights work.
The letter also raises serious concerns about the independence of the Specialized Criminal Court, noting that previous UN mandate holders and treaty bodies have questioned its independence from the Ministry of the Interior.
.According to the experts, if confirmed, the alleged facts would appear to contravene several fundamental rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Arab Charter on Human Rights, including the rights to liberty and security of person, a fair and public hearing, freedom of opinion and expression, freedom of peaceful assembly and association, and participation in public affairs.
.The UN experts called on the Saudi authorities to clarify the legal and factual basis for the retrial, disclose the charges against Mr. al-Bajadi, ensure his right to legal assistance and fair trial, review counter-terrorism legislation to ensure compliance with international human rights standards, and investigate allegations of incommunicado detention and breaches of due process.
