Personal information
- Sex: Female
- Marital status: Married
- Date of birth: 10 January 1990
- Area of activity: Human rights activist
- Place of residence: Al-Qatif
Israa al-Ghomgham participated in and filmed peaceful protests against anti-Shia discrimination in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province in 2011 and 2012. At one stage the Public Prosecutor called for her to be sentenced to death, which would have made her the first woman in Saudi Arabia to be executed for peaceful activism, but this demand was eventually dropped in response to international pressure.
Arrest and jail information
- Prison: Al-Mabaheth (General Investigations Directorate), Dammam
- Date of arrest: 06 December 2015
Trial information
- Charges: Charges relating to her activism
- Court: Specialised Criminal Court (SCC)
- Verdict: Eight-year prison sentence.
- Date of verdict: 10 February 2021
Violations
- Arbitrary arrest/ detention
Violation details
Along with her husband, she was arrested after participating in and filming protests calling for an end of discrimination against Saudi Arabia’s Shi’a minority.Timeline
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Mid-2022 - The Court of Appeal increases her sentence from eight to 13 years. -
10 February 2021 - The SCC sentenced her to eight years' imprisonment on charges relating to her activism.
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31 January 2019 - The Saudi authority announced Israa will not be facing the death penalty following pressure from the international community and international human rights organisations.
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13 January 2019 - The trial was postponed without a new date being set.
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06 August 2018 - At a trial before the Specialised Criminal Court (SCC), the Public Prosecutor called for the death penalty for her.
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06 December 2015 - She was arrested with her husband after participating in peaceful protests in Al-Qatif.
