Human Rights Watch Calls for the Release of Detained Nubians in Saudi Arabia
Human Rights Watch (HRW) issued a statement today calling on Saudi authorities to immediately and unconditionally release ten Egyptian men of Nubian descent, who have been arbitrarily detained for more than five years over their peaceful cultural activities.
The organization noted that on September 6, 2025, the Specialized Criminal Court in Riyadh reduced the detainees’ sentences on appeal, yet confirmed that all ten men remain in custody.
Saudi authorities had arrested them in July 2020, detaining them for over a year without charges or trial. In October 2022, the court sentenced them to prison terms ranging from 10 to 18 years, which were later reduced to between seven and nine years.
The original sentences handed down by the Specialized Criminal Court included:
Wael Ahmed Hassan Ishaq, Ali Gomaa Ali Bahr, and Abdullah Gomaa Ali Bahr – 10 years each
Jamal Abdullah Masri, Saleh Gomaa Ahmed, and Abdelsalam Gomaa Ali Bahr – 12 years each
Adel Sayed Ibrahim Fakir – 14 years
Faragallah Ahmed Youssef and Sayed Hashem Shater – 16 years each
Mohammed Fathallah Shater – 18 years
Joy Shea, Saudi Arabia researcher at HRW, said:
“While Saudi authorities invest billions in hosting major entertainment and cultural events, they appear to have imprisoned these Nubian men simply for expressing their cultural heritage. The Saudi government should release them immediately and unconditionally.”
The case dates back to an event organized by the Egyptian Nubian community in Riyadh in October 2019 to commemorate the contributions of Nubian soldiers in the October 1973 War. The event was canceled after police questioned several participants over what they perceived as ‘political messages.’
HRW stressed that the continued detention of these men reflects an arbitrary and discriminatory practice by Saudi authorities against individuals who peacefully expressed their cultural identity, urging their immediate and unconditional release.
Earlier, in August 2025, SANAD Human Rights Organization published a detailed report on the case of the detained Nubians in Saudi Arabia, also calling for their immediate and unconditional release.
