Five Years of Arbitrary Detention for Rakan Al-Asiri — Sanad Calls for His Immediate and Unconditional Release

This period marks the fifth anniversary of the arbitrary arrest of media activist Rakan Al-Asiri in April 2020, as part of a broad crackdown targeting several activists inside Saudi Arabia without any legal justification.

During his detention, Al-Asiri’s family has faced additional pressure, with Saudi authorities preventing him from contacting his family for several months after his arrest — a clear violation of detainees’ rights and international legal guarantees for family communication.

In a further abuse of his detention, Al-Asiri was forced to appear in a state-run TV program aimed at whitewashing the image of Saudi prisons. Despite five years passing since his arrest, Al-Asiri remains behind bars without a fair trial or release order.

Sanad Human Rights Organization urges the Saudi authorities to end Rakan Al-Asiri’s suffering, release him immediately and unconditionally, and cease all violations against him and his family.

Sanad also calls on the international community and human rights organizations to increase pressure on the Saudi government to respect the rights of detainees and their right to a fair trial in accordance with international standards.