Ongoing Detention of Journalist Hatem Al-Najjar Since January 2024 Amid Lack of Information About His Arrest Conditions

The fate of Palestinian journalist and host of the “Murabba” podcast on Thamanyah channel, Hatem Al-Najjar, remains unknown since his arrest in January 2024. Al-Najjar was detained following an intense online campaign targeting his account on the platform “X” by pro-Saudi government accounts, where old tweets he posted before the age of 18 were widely circulated.

These tweets date back to the reign of King Abdullah, in which Al-Najjar expressed opinions on various issues, leading to his arrest earlier this year. Al-Najjar is currently being held in Al-Ha’ir Prison in Riyadh since mid-January 2024, with no available information regarding his detention conditions or the charges brought against him.

SANAD Human Rights Organization condemns the ongoing detention of Hatem Al-Najjar, considering it an arbitrary arrest and a blatant violation of human rights and freedom of expression. The organization calls on Saudi authorities to immediately and unconditionally release him and to end all forms of arbitrary detention against individuals for expressing their opinions.