Eight Years Since the Arbitrary Arrest of Human Rights Activist Omar Al-Saeed

These days mark the eighth anniversary of the arrest of human rights activist Omar Al-Saeed, who was detained by Saudi authorities following a raid on his home on June 23, 2018, due to his peaceful activism and his role in founding the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association (ACPRA). Since then, Al-Saeed has remained imprisoned in Buraidah Prison in the Qassim region, amid continued denial of a fair trial and a lack of transparency regarding his legal status and detention conditions.

Al-Saeed was first arrested in 2013 and sentenced to seven years in prison. He was released in December 2015, only to be rearrested in June 2018.

SANAD Human Rights Organization affirms that the continued detention of Omar Al-Saeed constitutes a serious violation of international human rights standards, including the rights to freedom of expression and personal liberty. The organization calls on Saudi authorities to release him immediately and unconditionally, and to ensure his physical and psychological well-being.

SANAD also urges the international community and human rights organizations to exert meaningful pressure on Saudi authorities to end their ongoing crackdown on activists and human rights defenders.