Poet Nawwaf Al-Dubaykhi Nears Eight Years Behind Bars

Poet Nawwaf Al-Dubaykhi is approaching eight years in prison since his arrest during the September 2017 crackdown in Saudi Arabia, solely for peacefully expressing his views.

The Specialized Criminal Court initially sentenced him to 20 years in prison, later reduced to 16. Throughout his detention, he has suffered multiple violations, including long periods of denial of family visits, being barred from appointing a lawyer, medical neglect, and harsh prison conditions.

Sanad Human Rights Organization affirms that Al-Dubaykhi’s continued detention is a blatant violation of human rights and freedom of expression, demanding his immediate and unconditional release along with all prisoners of conscience detained since the September crackdown and beyond.

Many detainees from the September 2017 arrests remain under arbitrary imprisonment with lengthy sentences and systematic denial of basic rights — evidence of Saudi authorities’ determination to silence free voices and suppress dissent.