In recent weeks, Saudi authorities have renewed efforts to displace residents of al-Muwaila village, part of the area earmarked for Neom. Schools have been shut, forcing families to send children to Duba, 47km away. And residents have been warned to evacuate or face power and water cuts.

“The Saudi Human Rights Commission – 20 years of whitewashing the Kingdom’s human rights record” Our joint report with MENA Rights Group and ESOHR exposes how the Saudi Human Rights Commission repeatedly covers up human rights violations instead of addressing them. ▶️ alqst.org/en/post/the-...

Yesterday, #SaudiArabia's authorities announced the execution of four Egyptian nationals- Ahmed Zeinhom, Abdel Fattah Kamal, Rami al-Najjar and Hesham al-Teles (not pictured)- for drug-related offences. All suffered abuses in the course of their arrest, detention and trial.

Human rights defender and ACPRA member Issa al-Hamid was arrested eight years ago. He remains in prison, serving an 11-year term on charges relating to his activism. As the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention have stated, he must be released now. ▶️ alqst.org/en/political...

At the UN with @alqst.bsky.social , I raised the ongoing discrimination against women in #SaudiArabia: detained in ‘care homes’ for ‘disobedience.’ Enough. Saudi women are not props for diplomacy or branding tools for Vision 2030. #HRC60

Starting soon: The Saudi Human Rights Commission 20 years of whitewashing the Kingdom’s human rights record 📽️ Livestream here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7ry...

🇺🇳 ALQST and partners are in Geneva for the 60th session of the UN Human Rights Council (#HRC60), highlighting the rights situation in #SaudiArabia. If you're here, join our side event today at 2pm local time. We’re also hosting a webinar at 4:30pm CET, live via our YouTube.

📢 ALQST and partner NGOs strongly condemn the exploitation of Indian expat Ahmed Abdul Majeed by his Saudi employer, the PIF-owned Seera Group, after 40 years of service. He must receive all moneys owed plus compensation. alqst.org/en/post/join...

🚨 During a surprise trial hearing on 6 September, #SaudiArabia’s Specialised Criminal Court halved the prison sentences for eight of the ten arbitrarily detained Nubian Egyptians. Given the time already served since their arrest in July 2020, three men are now due for release.

The UK government has answered written Qs from Jim Shannon MP about the execution of Saudi journalist Turki al-Jasser, and those arbitrarily detained and those under travel ban. ➡️ questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-ques...

Eight years ago, the #Saudi authorities arrested Islamic scholar Hassan Farhan al-Maliki for exercising his right of free speech. He is still in prison today without having been sentenced, even though his trial began in 2018. We call for his immediate and unconditional release.

Eight years ago, cleric Salman al-Odah was arrested after he tweeted for the “softening of hearts” of Qatar and #SaudiArabia’s rulers. He remains in detention, facing severe medical neglect, and his trial continues to be repeatedly postponed for unknown reasons. ▶️ alqst.org/en/political...

🇺🇳 ALQST and partners are hosting a #HRC60 side event this Friday, exposing the whitewashing role of #SaudiArabia's Human Rights Commission, 20 years after its founding. If you can't attend in Geneva, follow our live posts during the event.

Eight years since the Saudi authorities’ crackdown on dissent in September 2017, many of those arrested remain in prison to this day. The Saudi authorities must release these individuals immediately, as well as all others detained for the peaceful expression of their opinions.

UN experts are dismayed over the execution of Jalal Labbad and urge Saudi authorities to return his body to his family. Expressing grave concern at the risk of execution facing other child defendants, they urge authorities to commute the death sentences. www.ohchr.org/en/press-rel...

In April, the UN Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons visited #SaudiArabia. The findings, while valuable, have some flaws, compounded by authorities' denial of access to older persons arbitrarily detained. 🧵 ➡️ docs.un.org/en/A/HRC/60/...

Saudi humanitarian worker Abdulrahman al-Sadhan is serving 20 years in jail for peaceful Twitter activity, and continues to be forcibly disappeared. 📣 Sign our new petition with @GlblCtzn calling on #SaudiArabia's authorities to #FreeSadhan now! www.globalcitizen.org/en/action/sa...

Saudi journalist Turki al-Jasser was executed in June after years of enforced disappearance. It dramatically illustrates the lengths the Saudi authorities will go to to suppress peaceful dissent. Sign this new petition calling for #JusticeForJasser. ➡️ actionnetwork.org/petitions/pr...

Saudi journalist Turki al-Jasser was executed in June after seven years of enforced disappearance, on vague charges of terrorism. This raises urgent concerns for other disappeared individuals. #InternationalDayoftheDisappeared

Almost ten years without answers. Preacher Sulaiman al-Dowaish has been forcibly disappeared since his arrest in April 2016, after tweeting comments critical of King Salman and Prince Mohammed bin Salman. His fate and whereabouts remain unknown. #InternationalDayoftheDisappeared

Abdulrahman al-Sadhan was arrested by secret police in March 2018 from his workplace at the headquarters of the Saudi Red Crescent in Riyadh and forcibly disappeared for 23 months. Since a court appearance in August 2021 he has been forcibly disappeared again. #InternationalDayoftheDisappeared

Many prisoners in #SaudiArabia, including preacher Sulaiman al-Dowaish, fitness instructor Manahel al-Oteibi, and aid worker Abdulrahman al-Sadhan have been subjected to enforced disappearance. On International #DayoftheDisappeared we call on Saudi authorities to end this cruel practise. #IDOD2025

⚠️ Child defendant Abdullah al-Derazi, arrested 11 years ago today, is at imminent risk of execution in Saudi Arabia. His death sentence, which followed a grossly unfair trial, has had final approval from the Supreme Court and now only needs the king's signature. ➡️ www.alqst.org/en/political...

Over the past three days, #Saudi authorities executed five Somalis and two Ethiopians for smuggling hashish. 182 men have been executed for non-lethal drug offences in #SaudiArabia in 2025, of whom 135 were foreign nationals, including 36 Somalis and 30 Ethiopians. Many remain at risk.

A new report by the Financial Times finds that Saudi Arabia is falling behind on the construction of Trojena, Neom's desert ski resort. An alternative country may be needed to host the 2029 Asian Winter Games. www.ft.com/content/6dfc...

The execution of Jalal Labbad, a Saudi youth convicted of alleged crimes committed as a minor, destroys authorities’ claims to have ended this violation of international human rights law. It also raises grave fears for other child offenders on death row. alqst.org/en/post/exec...

🚨 At today's hearing, the SCC overturned Manahel al-Otaibi's 11-year jail term, but handed a new five-year one (followed by a five-year travel ban). Given the time already served, this will entail two more years of arbitrary imprisonment. Saudi authorities must #FreeManahel now.

In a vicious escalation, Saudi authorities today executed child defendant Jalal al-Labad. Al-Labad was convicted of terrorism-related charges over his participation in protests when he was under 18. His sentence followed a grossly unfair trial based on torture-tainted confessions.

📅 The next hearing in the retrial of Manahel al-Otaibi — a fitness instructor sentenced by #Saudi authorities to 11 years for her peaceful activism — is taking place tomorrow, Thursday 21 August, at the SCC in Riyadh. ALQST encourages diplomats to request access to the trial.

On #WorldHumanitarianDay we're thinking of Saudi aid worker Abdulrahman al-Sadhan, arrested in 2018 from his workplace, the Saudi Red Crescent Society in Riyadh. Sentenced to 20 years in jail for peaceful Twitter activity, he remains forcibly disappeared. Saudi authorities must #FreeSadhan now.

🕊️ Academic Mohammed al-Barrak has been released after almost eight years of arbitrary imprisonment. He was arrested in September 2017 during a crackdown on dissent. #SaudiArabia

Interested in human rights in Saudi Arabia? Sign up to our weekly newsletter (that we send out each Friday) to stay updated on human rights-related news in the country. ➡️ alqst.us8.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=...

Saudi Arabia’s horrific use of the death penalty continues apace, with at least 250 people now executed in 2025 alone. Of those, 167 have been executed for non-lethal drug-related crimes, 122 of whom were foreign nationals from 11 Asian and African countries.

🚨 Since Manahel al-Otaibi’s last trial hearing on 22 July, she has again been denied any family contact. This raises further concerns for her wellbeing, amid a deterioration in her health. Al-Otaibi has faced repeated abuse in prison since her arrest. ▶️ alqst.org/en/political...

Mohammed al-Bejadi is one of several people arbitrarily imprisoned in #SaudiArabia whose activism stretches years. #FreeAlBejadi Taking part in a protest outside the Ministry of Interior in 2011, he declared the following. See our joint statement: alqst.org/en/post/ngos...

We echo calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Saudi human rights defender Mohammed el-Bejadi. El-Bejadi is one of many people in Saudi Arabia who remain unjustly imprisoned well beyond the completion of their prison sentences. Full statement: freedomhouse.org/article/ngos...

Saudi human rights defender and ACPRA co-founder Mohammed al-Bejadi remains arbitrarily detained, over two years after his sentence ended. 📢 With 10+ NGOs, we call on #SaudiArabia's authorities to #FreeAlBejadi immediately. Read our joint statement: alqst.org/en/post/ngos...

It’s been over 5 years since doctor and @Wikipedia administrator Osama Khalid was arrested. He was sentenced to 32 years. His crime? Sharing knowledge. Fellow Wikipedian Ziyad al-Sufiani was released in March, but Khalid remains jailed. Saudi authorities must release him now.

Over 30k have signed the petition calling for the release of Manahel al-Otaibi. She's a fitness instructor sentenced by #Saudi authorities to 11 years for her activism, and now facing retrial (her next hearing is 21 August). ✒️ Add your name: www.globalcitizen.org/en/action/re... #FreeManahel

Over the weekend #Saudi authorities executed eight Ethiopians and five Somalis for smuggling hashish. 161 men have been executed for non-lethal drug offences in #SaudiArabia in 2025, of whom 117 were foreign nationals, including 28 Ethiopians and 30 Somalis. Many remain at risk.

Saudi Arabia’s authorities are arbitrarily barring increasing numbers of Saudi citizens from leaving the country through the use of travel bans. These bans are often court-imposed, sometimes applied unofficially, and frequently extend to family members. alqst.org/en/post/alqs...

Happy birthday to #FreedomToWrite Awardee and activist Loujain Al-Hathloul. Though released from prison in 2021, Al-Hathloul’s freedom is still restricted, and she is banned from leaving Saudi Arabia. Saudi authorities must lift the unjust travel ban.

Happy birthday, @LoujainHathloul. 🎂 Today and every day, you remain an inspiration to rights defenders, feminists and so many around the world. Enough is enough- it's time that #SaudiArabia’s authorities lift the unlawful travel bans imposed on you and your family.

On 15 July Bulgaria's Supreme Administrative Court upheld the expulsion order against Saudi activist Abdulrahman al-Khalidi, ruling that his asylum status does not prevent deportation. This is despite his lawyer saying the order can't be enforced until all appeals are exhausted.

Arbitrary travel bans have a devastating human impact, severely limiting the victims’ ability to live fully empowered lives. Read more about the growing use of arbitrary travel bans in Saudi Arabia in our latest briefing: alqst.org/en/post/assa...

Saudi Arabia’s authorities are arbitrarily barring increasing numbers of Saudi citizens from leaving the country through the use of travel bans. Read more in our new briefing: alqst.org/en/post/assa...

The UK must overhaul its response to transnational repression. In evidence submitted to parliament’s Joint Committee on Human Rights, @fairsq.bsky.social, BIRD and ALQST urged the UK to act consistently, regardless of ties with perpetrating states like #SaudiArabia. alqst.org/en/post/uk-m...

Saudi authorities are increasingly imposing travel bans on activists and families—a new tactic to silence dissent. Read @tom_levitt’s @guardian piece, with comments from @LinaAlhathloul, sister of Loujain under travel ban, and links to our briefing. www.theguardian.com/global-devel...

Manahel al-Otaibi’s trial hearing yesterday lasted only minutes, with the next set for Thursday 21 August. ALQST once again urges diplomats to request access to the trial. Add your name to the petition calling for her release: ✒️ www.globalcitizen.org/en/action/re... #FreeManahel

Over two years since his sentence expired, human rights defender and #ACPRA co-founder Mohammed al-Bejadi remains arbitrarily detained. His case highlights a troubling trend in #SaudiArabia where prisoners of conscience are held beyond their sentences. alqst.org/en/post/rele...