Publication date: 19/10/2015

Human Rights defender Al-Sunaidi has been sentenced to eight years in prison, followed by an eight year travel ban upon release and a $13,300 fine

Al-Sunaidi was sentenced by the Specialised Criminal Court, the SCC, set up in 2008 to deal with terrorism cases only. His offences include:

  1. Inciting against public order for signing a petition
  2. Insulting the King
  3. Spreading chaos
  4. Inciting public opinion online via his Twitter account.

Al-Sunaidi was arrested in March 2015 and was interrogated about his online presence and activities. Al-Sunaidi’s was denied proper access to his lawyers, both during his interrogation and also during his trial, leading a severely unfair trial. We at ALQST, urge the Saudi Arabia authorities to respect human rights and call for an increase of pressure on the Saudi authorities for the immediate release of Abdulaziz Al-Sunaidi. The authorities must drop all charges against him without any conditions attached.

Share Article
Further reprisals against disappeared preacher’s three sons
ALQST is concerned to learn of further repressive measures against the family of preacher Sulaiman al-Dowaish, who was arrested and tortured in April 2016 and remains forcibly disappeared.
Release of human rights defender Mohammed al-Bejadi now two years overdue
ALQST is deeply concerned that veteran human rights defender Mohammed al-Bejadi has now been arbitrarily detained for two years beyond the expiry of his prison sentence.
Bulgaria: Saudi activist at risk of deportation
ALQST and 19 organisations call on Bulgarian authorities to immediately grant asylum to Saudi human rights defender Abdulrahman al-Khalidi.