Amnesty International: Saudi Arabia Sentences French-Egyptian Dr. Amr Abdelfattah to Years in Prison
Amnesty International says Saudi authorities have sentenced French-Egyptian telecommunications engineer and university professor Dr. Amr Abdelfattah to “years” in prison, more than two years after his arrest while performing the Hajj pilgrimage. The organization is calling for his immediate and unconditional release.
In an Urgent Action issued on 20 August 2026, Amnesty said Abdelfattah’s lawyer in France learned earlier this month that he had been sentenced to “years” in prison, but was not informed of the exact length of the sentence or the basis for his conviction.
Abdelfattah has been detained in Saudi Arabia since 16 June 2024, when Saudi security officials arrested him in Mecca while he was performing Hajj after informing him that his Hajj permit was invalid. His family later told Amnesty International that they had fallen victim to a visa scam.
Nearly a year after his arrest, Abdelfattah was brought before the Specialized Criminal Court (SCC), where he learned that, in addition to the Hajj permit case, he faced charges related to freedom of expression, including “insulting the government of the Kingdom,” “insulting the head of a state,” and violating the counter-terrorism law by “praising detained individuals.” Amnesty stated that none of these constitute recognizable offences under international law.
According to Amnesty, Abdelfattah was denied full access to legal representation throughout the proceedings, with most hearings taking place without his lawyer or French consular officials present.
Amnesty also reported that Abdelfattah was subjected to repeated torture and other ill-treatment while detained at Dhahban Central Prison, including beatings, being forced to run with his feet tied, and food deprivation. In December 2024, he lost consciousness after being beaten and was taken to hospital.
According to further details provided by his lawyer, Abdelfattah was thrown against a wall and threatened with death during an interrogation on 23 August 2024. On 23 December, six masked officers restrained and beat him until he lost consciousness. In March 2025, he was forced to run with his feet tied and deprived of food for 24 hours. He was later subjected to further assaults, including an incident in May 2026 that left visible injuries on his face and body.
His health has also reportedly deteriorated. Abdelfattah suffers from severe back pain, problems affecting his legs, and reduced control of his left hand following repeated violence and periods of isolation in harsh conditions. Amnesty said he has not received adequate medical assessment or treatment for these symptoms.
Saudi authorities have also severely restricted his contact with his family. All family contact was prohibited between 5 August 2025 and 5 April 2026. Although limited contact has since resumed, his calls remain monitored and, according to his family, he is only permitted to speak Arabic during them.
Amnesty International called on Saudi authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Abdelfattah. Pending his release, it urged them to ensure regular access to his family and legal representation and to conduct a prompt, independent and effective investigation into allegations of torture and other ill-treatment.
Dr. Amr Abdelfattah is a French-Egyptian national, father of three, telecommunications engineer and specialist, and university professor who has lived in France since 2009. His June 2024 trip with his wife to perform Hajj was his first visit to Saudi Arabia.
