On the Fourth Anniversary of Her Arrest, Sanad Calls for the Immediate Release of Activist Rina Abdulaziz

This week marks four years since the arbitrary arrest of human rights activist and university student Rina Abdulaziz, who was detained in May 2021 over tweets expressing her personal opinions on social media.

According to human rights sources, Rina suffers from a bacterial lung infection and is being denied necessary medical care. She has been subjected to harsh detention conditions, including enforced disappearance for a period of time, and remains held without any legal basis.

Rina’s arrest is part of a broader systematic crackdown targeting Saudi women for their peaceful expression online. This wave of repression has also ensnared activists like Noura Al-Qahtani, who was sentenced to 45 years in prison simply for using an anonymous account to express solidarity with prisoners of conscience—one of the harshest sentences issued against a woman in Saudi Arabia.

Sanad renews its call for the immediate and unconditional release of Rina Abdulaziz, for ensuring she receives appropriate medical treatment, and for compensating her for the violations she has endured. The organization also urges Saudi authorities to respect the right to freedom of expression and to stop persecuting women for their peaceful online activism.