Monitoring & Documentation

While civil society in Saudi Arabia has largely been silenced, and individuals communicating with the outside world are at high risk of reprisals, we maintain an extensive network of sources that enables us to closely monitor human rights violations on the ground and bring them to the attention of the international community.

Monitoring & Documentation Torture continues in Saudi Arabia, despite official promises
Despite publicly undertaking to end torture in Saudi Arabia, the authorities continue to practise torture systematically in prisons and interrogation rooms.
2020-06-26
Monitoring & Documentation An end to discretionary death sentences for minors in Saudi Arabia? Exceptions render royal decree meaningless
Accounts on social media have published a decree from King Salman that would end Saudi judges’ discretion to apply the death penalty to minors.
2020-05-10
Monitoring & Documentation Saudi authorities attempt to cover up their killing of Abdul Rahim al-Huwaiti, by bribing members of his tribe to disown him and “renew allegiance”
ALQST has been monitoring the repeated violations being committed by the Saudi authorities in their bid to evict members of the Huwaitat tribe from their homes.
2020-04-25
Monitoring & Documentation ALQST holds the Saudi authorities responsible for the death of human rights pioneer Dr Abdullah al-Hamid
Visionary human rights defender Dr Abdullah al-Hamid, 69, died on 23 April 2020 at the King Saud Medical City Hospital after suffering a cerebral stroke on 9 April 2020.
2020-04-24
Monitoring & Documentation Leading reformer Abdullah al-Hamid moved from prison to intensive care in critical condition
Information has reached ALQST that Dr Abdullah al-Hamid – one of Saudi Arabia’s best known political detainees – is currently in intensive care at a hospital in Riyadh in critical condition.
2020-04-17
Monitoring & Documentation A year of arbitrary detention and rights violations for Palestinians, Jordanians and Saudis linked to the Palestinian cause
It is just over a year since the arrest of Dr Mohammed Saleh al-Khudari, a leading Palestinian official and long-term resident of Saudi Arabia.
2020-04-17
Monitoring & Documentation Saudi authorities insist on holding secret trials, with international observers denied access
The Saudi authorities are continuing to hold secret trials, ensuring that judicial proceedings in Saudi Arabia fall far short of international fair trial standards.
2020-04-17
Monitoring & Documentation One year since the mass arrest of April 2019, more than a dozen writers and activists remain arbitrarily detained without charge
Between 4 and 9 April 2019, the Saudi authorities arrested at least 15 bloggers, writers and family members of women human rights defenders.
2020-04-17
Monitoring & Documentation Corona Virus (COVID-19) and the need to safeguard the health of prisoners in Saudi Arabia
The COVID-19 pandemic now sweeping the world is known to be particularly highly contagious and transmissible affecting mostly those who live  in overcrowded and unhygienic environments. 
2020-03-19
Monitoring & Documentation Two years since arrest and disappearance of Saudi humanitarian worker Abdulrahman AlSadhan
12 March 2020 marks the two-year anniversary of the disappearance of Abdulrahman AlSadhan at the hands of Saudi Arabia’s Mabahith secret police.
2020-03-12
Monitoring & Documentation Prisoners of conscience announce end of hunger strike
In a letter smuggled from inside the Saudi prison system, detained human rights activist Khaled al-Omair has announced the suspension of his hunger strike.
2020-02-12
Monitoring & Documentation ALQST re-launches Prisoners of Conscience webpage
ALQST has re-launched a new and interactive "Prisoners of Conscience" webpage that presents the profiles of scores of prisoners of conscience arbitrarily detained in Saudi Arabia. 
2020-01-21
Monitoring & Documentation List of executions in Saudi Arabia in 2019
List of executions in Saudi Arabia in 2019.
2020-01-20
Monitoring & Documentation Ongoing detention of female journalist and writer Maha al-Rafidi confirmed
ALQST has received news confirming the arrest and detention of female journalist and writer Maha al-Rafidi al-Qahtani.
2020-01-14
Monitoring & Documentation Khaled al-Omair joins #SaudiPOCsHungerStrike and sends message from behind bars
ALQST has received from its sources inside Saudi prisons a written message from prisoner of conscience Khaled bin Suleiman al-Omair.
2019-12-22
Monitoring & Documentation Human rights activist Waleed Abu al-Khair on hunger strike in protest against ill-treatment in prison
ALQST has learned that detained human rights activist Waleed Abu al-Khair has been on hunger strike since 29 November 2019.
2019-12-06