News - Middle East: Activists have once again drawn attention to the human rights situation in Saudi Arabia amid reports of the continued detention of a Saudi activist for nearly four years. The activist, Amani Al-Zain, was reportedly arrested for criticizing Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Rights activists have called on Saudi authorities to either release the detainees or provide them with fair trials.

Prisoners of Conscience, a group specializing in disseminating news about detainees in Saudi Arabia, stated that Amani Al-Zain has been missing for the fourth year due to enforced disappearance. The organization reported on its X account on Tuesday that Al-Zain was detained by Saudi authorities for expressing her opinion. In a previous post, the account mentioned that the arrest came after Al-Zain criticized Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in a video clip following the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Months before her arrest, Al-Zain was involved in a conversation on social media with Egyptian activist Wael Ghonim, during which she used the term "Abu Mansour" about the Saudi Crown Prince. The conversation, which took place in October 2019, gained attention in May 2020 when activists circulated a video clip accompanied by a hashtag accusing Al-Zain of insulting the Saudi Crown Prince. She was subsequently arrested on May 17, 2020.

Al-Zain had been consistently expressing her opinions on social media, opposing the repression and arbitrary arrests carried out by the Saudi authorities, according to the Gulf Center for Human Rights.

The Mujtahid Twitter account, which focuses on Saudi affairs, indicated that Al-Zain's arrest came after activists widely circulated a hashtag accusing her of insulting Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Saudi activist Fawz Al-Otaibi demanded the release of Amani Al-Zain and all prisoners of conscience in Saudi Arabia. She pointed out that Saudi authorities have intensified their crackdown on freedoms, resulting in the disappearance of the right to expression.

Al-Otaibi emphasized that many detainees in Saudi Arabia are subjected to torture and treatment that violates human rights standards.

The Saudi activist also highlighted the arrest of her sister, Manahil Al-Otaibi, in November 2022. She stated that her sister was recently put in semi-complete isolation, with family visits halted after she informed them of being subjected to torture in prison.

The International Center for Supporting Rights and Freedoms called on Saudi authorities to reveal the fate of activist Amani Al-Zain and release her and all detainees in the kingdom's prisons. The center emphasized that Al-Zain is one of the strongest advocates for human rights.

The center, a member of the International Criminal Court alliance registered in Geneva, stated that Saudi Arabia violated domestic law before violating international law by arresting Al-Zain. It cited Article 2 of the Saudi Procedures Law, which specifies conditions for arrest, search, detention, or imprisonment, including the duration and location of detention.