On the Sixth Anniversary of His Arrest, Faragallah Ahmed Youssef Remains Detained

These days mark the sixth anniversary of the arrest of Dr. Faragallah Ahmed Youssef, who was detained by the Saudi authorities in July 2020 over his involvement in organizing a peaceful cultural event at the Nubian Association headquarters in Riyadh.

On 10 October 2022, the Specialized Criminal Court sentenced him to 16 years in prison. According to human rights sources, the sentence was reduced to nine years in September 2025.

During his detention, Dr. Faragallah Ahmed Youssef, 66, has reportedly been subjected to multiple human rights violations, including denial of medical care despite suffering from chronic illnesses, leading to a serious deterioration in his health. He was also subjected to enforced disappearance, denied contact and visits with his family, prevented from appointing a lawyer, and held for more than a year before being brought to trial.

Dr. Faragallah Ahmed Youssef is one of ten Egyptian Nubian detainees arrested by the Saudi authorities in July 2020 over their role in organizing a peaceful cultural event. The Specialized Criminal Court handed them prison sentences ranging from 10 to 18 years, some of which were later reduced, yet they all remain in detention despite the peaceful nature of their activities.

SANAD Human Rights Organization stresses that the continued detention of Dr. Faragallah Ahmed Youssef and the other Nubian detainees for peacefully exercising their cultural rights violates international human rights standards. The organization renews its call for their immediate and unconditional release, full access to medical care, and the restoration of their right to communicate with their families and lawyers.