News – Middle East: An international human rights coalition stated that Saudi Arabia's travel ban on activists, including human rights defenders, blatantly violates international law and contradicts all legislation and laws.

In a joint statement, 14 human rights organizations condemned the ongoing travel ban on rights defender Loujain Al-Hathloul, calling it a violation of both international and local laws. The ban, originally imposed by a court order, expired six months ago, yet she remains banned from traveling without an expiration date.

Al-Hathloul, who faced arrest, torture, and over 1,000 days of detention for her activism, was conditionally released on February 10, 2021. Her sentence included severe restrictions, such as probation and a travel ban lasting two years and ten months, which ended on November 13, 2023. However, in February 2024, she was informed that she was still subject to a permanent travel ban.

Human rights organizations noted that many Saudi prisoners of conscience face similar long-term restrictions post-release, often as part of their judicial sentences. These measures contradict Article 13 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which guarantees the right to leave any country and return.

Saudi authorities also impose unofficial travel bans without legal justification, judicial ruling, or official decision. Individuals often discover the ban when attempting to leave the country. This informal ban, lacking legal basis, cannot be formally challenged or lifted.

The travel ban severely impacts victims, preventing them from pursuing personal and professional goals abroad, accessing specialized healthcare, or visiting family members, affecting their mental and emotional well-being.

Arbitrary travel bans are also increasingly imposed on family members of activists, including the Hathloul family, as a form of collective punishment to deter human rights work.

The human rights organizations demand that Saudi authorities immediately stop this illegal practice, lift the arbitrary travel bans on Al-Hathloul and other activists' families, and respect the right to freedom of movement.

Ever since Mohammed bin Salman became Saudi Arabia’s crown prince and de facto leader in 2017, the kingdom has arrested dozens of activists, bloggers, intellectuals, and others perceived as political opponents, showing almost zero tolerance for dissent even in the face of international condemnations of the crackdown.

As a result, Islamic scholars have been executed, women’s rights campaigners have been put behind bars and tortured, and freedom of expression, association, and belief continue to be denied.

Over the past years, Riyadh has also redefined its anti-terrorism laws to target activism.

On May 15, just weeks before the Saudi authorities lifted the ban on women driving on June 24, 2023, authorities began arrests of prominent women’s rights activists and accused several of them of grave crimes like treason that appear to be directly related to their activism.

Human rights groups expressed concern that governments such as the US Biden administration and the government of President Emmanuel Macron in France have given Saudi Arabia a blank check to repress human rights. Members of Parliament in the United Kingdom tweeted in condemnation of the ruling and criticized the lack of UK government action to hold a “friend and ally” accountable for human rights.