Additional Name(s): Sulaiman Al Dowaish, سليمان الدويش

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: Saudi Arabia

Ethnic Group: Arab

Religion or Belief: Muslim – Sunni

Reports of Torture: Yes

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Date of Detainment: April/22/2016

Current Status: Not Released

Religious Leader: Yes

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Disappeared

Reason for Persecution: Religious Expression

Nature of Charges: Unknown

Sulaiman al-Dowaish

Extra Bio Info:

Sulaiman al-Dowaish was forcibly disappeared for his religious expression.

On April 22, 2016, al-Dowaish was forcibly disappeared while on a work trip to Mecca following tweets he made the day before summarizing a religious lecture he gave that day in Mecca. In the tweets, al-Dowaish warned about the dangers of individuals providing their sons with great privileges and responsibilities without proper oversight and accountability, a perceived criticism against King Salman and his son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Two months after his arrest, al-Dowaish’s name appeared on the Ministry of Interior’s online database of detainees, confirming his presence in state custody.

Al-Dowaish was reportedly tortured while detained.

The last known sighting of Al-Dowaish was July 2018.

Al-Dowaish’s sons, Abdulwahhab al-Dowaish, Abdulrahman al-Dowaish, and Malek al-Dowaish, have been arrested for inquiring about their father's disappearance.

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Additional Name(s): Lina al-Sharif, لينا الشريف

Gender: Female

Perpetrator: Saudi Arabia

Ethnic Group: Arab

Religion or Belief: Muslim – Unspecified/Other

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Date of Detainment: May//2021

Current Status: Not Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment

Reason for Persecution: Criticizing Religious Freedom Conditions Human Rights Work for Religious Communities Online Activity Women’s Rights

Nature of Charges: Terrorism

Lina Alsharif

Extra Bio Info:

Lina Alsharif is detained in relation to religious freedom advocacy.

In May 2021, officials from the Saudi Presidency of State Security raided Alsharif’s home in Riyadh, arrested her, and forcibly disappeared her for two months reportedly in relation to her social media activity, which included discussing Saudi politics as well as advocating for human rights, including women’s rights, freedom of religion, freedom of expression, and freedom for prisoners of conscience.

On September 21, 2021, authorities responded to a request for information from the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention confirmed that Alsharif was being detained under Articles 2 and 19 of the Law on Combatting Terrorism Crimes and its Financing.

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Additional Name(s): Ali Mujtaba al-Mozain, على مجتبى المزين

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: Saudi Arabia

Ethnic Group: Arab

Religion or Belief: Muslim – Shi'a

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Sentence: 8 Years' Imprisonment

Date of Sentencing: February/10/2021

Current Status: Not Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Online Activity Protesting Religious Freedom Conditions Religious Identity

Nature of Charges: Illegal Assembly Incitement to Commit Crime & Violence Terrorism

Mujtaba al-Muzain

Extra Bio Info:

Mujtaba al-Muzain is imprisoned for his religious identity and for protesting religious discrimination.

On an unspecified date, authorities arrested al-Muzain for protesting in Al-Qatif governorate against the state's treatment of Shi'a citizens and for documenting these protests on social media. He is reportedly charged under Royal Decree 44/A.

On February 10, 2021, the Specialized Criminal Court in Riyadh sentenced al-Muzain to eight years in prison.

Related Cases: Israa al-Ghomgham, Mousa al-Hashim, Ahmed al-Matrood, Khaled al-Ghanim, Ali al-Ouwaisher

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