Saudi Arabia Releases Human Rights Activist Fawzan Al-Harbi After Over a Decade of Detention

Saudi authorities have released human rights activist Fawzan Al-Harbi, according to multiple human rights sources, after he completed a ten-year prison sentence that began with his arrest in December 2013. Al-Harbi was detained due to his activism in defending human rights and his role in co-founding the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association (ACPRA), which is considered one of the leading human rights organizations in Saudi Arabia.

During his detention, Al-Harbi was subjected to a series of violations, most notably the arrest of his wife, Amal Al-Harbi. Saudi authorities detained her without specific charges while she was with their children on the Jeddah Corniche, intending to pressure him and heighten his psychological suffering. Although his wife was later released, Al-Harbi endured harsh conditions, including solitary confinement and the denial of legal representation, as well as mistreatment that led him to go on hunger strikes multiple times in protest.

In this context, the Sanad Human Rights Organization congratulates Fawzan Al-Harbi and his family on his release and renews its call for Saudi authorities to unconditionally release all prisoners of conscience.