On the Eighth Anniversary of Khaled Al-Omair’s Arrest, SANAD Calls for His Immediate Release
These days mark the eighth anniversary of the arrest of human rights activist Khaled Al-Omair, who has remained arbitrarily detained since June 2018 over his peaceful activism and calls for political and human rights reforms.
Al-Omair was rearrested after filing a formal complaint against an officer he said had tortured him during a previous detention. Instead of investigating his allegations and holding those responsible accountable, Saudi authorities arrested him again, turning a torture victim into a criminal defendant.
He was charged over the peaceful exercise of his right to freedom of expression, including creating the hashtag “The People Want a New Constitution,” calling for political reforms, and vague accusations such as “inciting against the leadership”—charges frequently used to criminalize peaceful activism in Saudi Arabia.
Despite the nonviolent nature of the accusations, Al-Omair was tried before the Specialized Criminal Court. In April 2021, he was sentenced to seven years in prison, before the sentence was increased in August 2021 to nine years, followed by a nine-year travel ban.
This was not his first detention. Since 2008, Al-Omair has been arrested several times and previously served eight years in prison on charges of “disobeying the ruler” for participating in peaceful pro-Palestine demonstrations. During his imprisonment, he carried out hunger strikes to protest his detention conditions and ill-treatment.
In July 2021, Al-Omair survived an apparent assault attempt by another prisoner, raising serious concerns about his safety in custody. Despite the gravity of the incident, authorities failed to conduct an independent investigation or take adequate measures to protect him.
SANAD Human Rights Organization calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Khaled Al-Omair, fair compensation for the harm he has suffered, and an independent and transparent investigation into all violations against him, including torture, ill-treatment, and the attempted assault in prison, with those responsible held accountable.
