News - World: Dozens of human rights activists organized a protest in front of the Saudi embassy in the British capital, London, against human rights violations in the Kingdom.

The protest was called by the "Liberty Now" organization to denounce the continued detention of hundreds of prisoners of conscience in Saudi prisons and the ban on freedom of opinion and expression.

The participants raised banners denouncing human rights violations in Saudi Arabia and pictures of prisoners of conscience in its prisons, as well as pictures of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman protesting his repressive policies.

Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) stated that the authorities in Saudi Arabia continue targeting detained human rights activists, who are at risk of reprisals and additional sentences.

Reliable reports confirmed that more than four months ago, the Specialised Criminal Court of Appeal (SCCA) decided to add a further five years in prison to the original sentence of eight years’ imprisonment issued last year against woman human rights defender Israa Al-Ghomgham.

She was arrested at home on 06 December 2015 along with her husband Mousa Al-Hashim. The two participated in peaceful protests in Al-Qatif that took place as demonstrations spread across the Middle East during the so-called Arab Spring beginning in 2011.

On 10 February 2021, the Specialised Criminal Court (SCC) sentenced Al-Ghomgham to eight years in prison followed by another eight years of travel ban starting after her prison sentence is served. She was 32 years old at the time of sentencing.

Following an international outcry, the prosecution dropped the demand that Al-Ghomgham be sentenced to beheading, but her husband and four other defendants remain at risk of capital punishment.

In a separate case, on 11 October 2022, woman human rights defender Maha Al-Qahtani published a tweet on her Twitter account in which she said that her husband, detained human rights defender Dr. Mohammed Al-Qahtani had been prevented from contacting her. 

On 09 March 2013, the Criminal Court in Riyadh sentenced Dr. Al-Qahtani to 10 years in prison on 12 charges including setting up an unlicensed organization (namely ACPRA).

The ACPRA was founded on 12 October 2009 to promote fundamental rights in Saudi Arabia, and was banned in 2013. Most of its members were arrested and put on trial, and remain in prison to this day.

GCHR calls on the authorities in Saudi Arabia to immediately and unconditionally release Israa Al-Ghomgham and Mousa Al-Hashim and ensure that the death sentence is not implemented in his case, nor in the cases of any other peaceful protestors.

GCHR also calls on the authorities in Saudi Arabia to immediately and unconditionally release Dr. Mohammed Al-Qahtani, all other members of the ACPRA and all prisoners of conscience and allow prisoners to file complaints for abuse in prison and ensure accountability for those who attack them.

Gulf Centre for Human Rights also called Saudi authorities to drop all charges against those arrested for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, including women’s rights defenders, and free them unconditionally; and guarantee in all circumstances that all human rights defenders in Saudi Arabia are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals.