A group of 40 rights organizations issued a joint statement Sept. 6 calling on authorities in Saudi Arabia to release all those unfairly jailed for their online activities before Riyadh hosts the United Nations Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in December. The organizations stated that the detentions contradict the IGF's stated values of advancing human rights and inclusion in the digital age. They charged that Saudi authorities are subjecting citizens to unprecedented repression, including decades-long prison sentences for expressing critical views online.

The statement added:

All IGF participants—states, international organizations and individuals—must also demand the freedom of those unjustly detained for their online expression or else risk their presence at the IGF being instrumentalized to whitewash the violations of a government intent on silencing all critical voices online.

Saudi authorities have reportedly targeted several individuals, including medical doctor Osama Khalid, fitness instructor Manahel al-Otaibi and women's rights activist Salma al-Shehab. These individuals have been sentenced to prison for promoting women's rights online, and "violating public morals."

In July, Saudi Arabia sentenced 47-year-old teacher Asaad al-Ghamdi to 20 years in prison for social media activity. Asaad, the brother of exiled government critic Saeed bin Nasser al-Ghamdi, was convicted of multiple offenses under Saudi Arabia's counterterrorism law, including publishing "false news" and challenging the official religion of the monarchy. His posts on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) criticized Saudi government policies and projects related to Vision 2030, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's program to diversify Saudi Arabia's economy.

Human Rights Watch further charged that Saudi authorities often use "transnational repression" against overseas critics to coerce them back to Saudi Arabia.

UN experts also appealed to Saudi Arabia in September 2023 to revoke the death sentence of Mohammad al-Ghamdi, another brother of Asaad al-Ghamdi accused of social media dissent.

From Jurist, Sept. 8. Used with permission.