Asrar Alhazza, sister of the imprisoned caricaturist, issues an urgent plea to humanity by SANAD: “Stop my brother’s suffering in the prisons of repression in Saudi Arabia

3 days ago

Asrar Alhazaa Alghamdi, the sister of detainee Mohammed Alhazaa, has sent a heartfelt message to people around the world, shedding light on her brother’s suffering as he serves a 23-year prison sentence in Saudi Arabia due to his opinions and cartoons. Asrar highlighted the severe violations Mohammed has endured, including forced confessions and medical neglect, urging everyone to take immediate action to save her brother. She stressed that his life is in danger due to his deteriorating health.

Asrar also called on human rights organizations to join the urgent action led by the Sanad organization, pressing the Saudi government to release Mohammed Al-Hazaa.

Here is the full Letter of Asrar Al-Hazaa’s message, in which she highlights the suffering of her brother, Mohammed Al-Hazaa, and calls for urgent action to secure his release:

Dear Beautiful Humans,

Whenever I speak about the injustice my brother has been enduring, I’m often met with the assumption, “You’re Saudi, so you all must be privileged.” Yet, those who truly understand and feel a deep sense of outrage at his plight are far outnumbered by those who judge. What we are witnessing in our homeland is, what I call, silent oppression. People are being killed, imprisoned for life, and tortured simply for expressing their opinions. Even more horrifying, individuals—including minors—can face the death penalty for something as small as liking or retweeting a dissident’s post. The list of human rights violations is endless, but I will pause here for now.

On my first day at Columbia University, as I walked through the halls, I came across the words, “Make waves, move mountains, and change lives.” It wasn’t just a motto; it was a call to action, a constant reminder that I carry with me every day. It speaks to the power of collective voices and the responsibility we have to one another. Without unity, human rights will continue to be abandoned, forgotten, and vilified.

Mohammed Alghamdi, known as Mohammed Alhazza on social media, is a talented caricaturist and devoted teacher who has been imprisoned since February 2018 as a victim of the oppressive regime in Saudi Arabia. His arrest stemmed from his previous contributions to Lusail, a Qatari newspaper, despite having stopped shortly before his detention.

My brother faces numerous charges, including alleged sympathy for Qatar and the claim that he produced 100 insulting drawings. He is also accused of expressing that Qatar did not deserve the severing of diplomatic ties and for following opposition accounts on social media. In his defense, he emphasized that there was no evidence to support the prosecution’s claims and highlighted a letter from a respected former Saudi political figure praising his work as constructive criticism.

Despite the absence of credible evidence, Mohammed was convicted and has endured serious abuses, including but not limited to, coerced confessions and medical neglect. He currently suffers from multiple health conditions due to medical neglect, leading to a significant decline in his well-being and requiring hospitalization.

His original six-year sentence was reduced to three years and six months, bringing him close to release. Yet, the case was reopened, and his sentence was changed to 23 years, with no option for appeal.

Urgent action is needed for my brother, whose case highlights the dangers of self-expression in oppressive environments. His imprisonment has deeply affected his children, especially his youngest, who does not recognize him.

His health is at serious risk, making his immediate release crucial. We must support Sanad’s campaign to demand his freedom and justice for his suffering. Every voice matters—together, we can ensure that artists like Alhazza are no longer silenced.

How to Support:

⁃ If you are an organization, join Sanad’s campaign.

⁃ If you are an individual who refuses to settle for injustice, write emails to local and national representatives. Please feel free to reach out to me on X @asasraralhazza if you want an email template that you could use.

⁃ Reach out to journalists and bloggers.

⁃ Keep sharing his story through social media and word of mouth.

⁃ Lastly, please keep reaching out to Lusail newspaper as they have been silent regarding his case despite all the efforts from our end. Their voice is important! @Lusailnews is their username on both X and Instagram.

Sanad and I welcome any other creative ideas to demand his immediate release! I encourage you to follow @sanadUK and @asasraralhazza for updates.

Thank you for your support!

Sincerely,

Asrar

The Sanad human rights organization has issued an urgent statement calling on Saudi authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Mohammed bin Ahmed bin Eid Al-Hazaa Al-Ghamdi, who is facing a 23-year prison sentence for his work as a cartoonist and his exercise of the right to freedom of expression. The organization emphasized that Al-Hazaa has suffered severe violations during his detention, including torture, enforced disappearance, and medical neglect, which have put his life in serious danger.

Sanad also urged all international human rights organizations to take immediate action to condemn the arrest of Mohammed Al-Hazaa and the violations he has been subjected to inside Saudi prisons, including his unfair trial and the harsh conditions of his detention. It called on these organizations to join Sanad in demanding the immediate and unconditional release of Mohammed Al-Hazaa.