Six Years Since His Arrest: Saudi Authorities Continue to Detain Egyptian Activist Ali Gomaa Despite Completion of His Sentence

These days mark the sixth anniversary of the arrest of Egyptian Nubian activist Ali Gomaa Ali Bahr, who was detained by Saudi authorities in July 2020 and remains imprisoned despite completing his sentence nearly a year ago.

Ali Gomaa was arrested on July 14, 2020, following a raid on his home in Riyadh, over his involvement in organizing a peaceful cultural event commemorating the 1973 October War.

An Egyptian citizen of Nubian origin, Ali had lived in Saudi Arabia for many years. According to rights sources, the Specialized Criminal Court initially sentenced him to ten years in prison before reducing the sentence to five years in September last year. Despite the sentence having expired, calculated from the date of his arrest, Saudi authorities have yet to release him.

Ali Gomaa is one of ten Egyptian Nubians arrested in July 2020 over the same cultural event. The Specialized Criminal Court handed them prison sentences ranging from ten to eighteen years, although some sentences were later reduced while detention continued.

SANAD Human Rights Organization stated that Ali Gomaa’s continued imprisonment after completing his sentence constitutes a clear violation of justice and the right to liberty, and called for his immediate and unconditional release, along with all Nubian detainees held over their peaceful cultural activities.