ALQST for Human Rights-Political Prisoners

Personal information

Sex: Male
Area of activity: Journalist
Place of residence: Riyadh

Turki al-Jasser is a Saudi writer and journalist for Al-Taqrir newspaper who drew attention to issues that the Saudi authorities considered sensitive, such as women’s rights under Islam and the plight of Palestinians.

Arrest and jail information

Prison: Al-Ha’ir Prison, Riyadh
Date of arrest: 15 March 2018
Manner of arrest: Security forces raided his home and took him to an unknown location. All his electronic devices were confiscated.

Violations

Arbitrary arrest/ detention ,
Enforced disappearance ,
Denied contact with family ,
Denied access to a lawyer

Timeline

February 2020 - In response to a submission from the Special Procedures of the UN Human Rights Council, the Saudi authorities said he was being held in al-Ha’ir prison. At the same time, he was allowed for the first time to make a phone call to his family, in which he informed them of his location. However, since then he has been denied any further contact and remains subject to enforced disappearance.
15 March 2018 - Al-Jasser was arrested from his home in Riyadh by plain-clothes Mabaheth (intelligence) officers and taken to an unknown location. His electronic devices and wallet were also seized. Since his arrest, he has completely disappeared. He was denied visits or phone calls, and the Saudi authorities refused to answer any inquiries about him.
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