Additional Name(s): محمد الربيعة

Gender: Male

Current Location: Dhahban Prison, Jeddah

Perpetrator: Saudi Arabia

Ethnic Group: Arab

Religion or Belief: Muslim – Sunni

Reports of Torture: Yes

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Appeal: Increased to 17 Years' Imprisonment

Sentence: Originally 6 Years' Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: May/15/2018

Date of Sentencing: April/20/2021

Current Status: Not Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Resisting State-Imposed Religious Systems Women’s Rights

Nature of Charges: Spreading Propaganda & False or Misleading Ideas, Information, or Materials Terrorism

Mohammed al-Rabiah

Extra Bio Info:

Mohammed al-Rabiah is imprisoned for his activism against state imposed religious systems.

On May 15, 2018, authorities arrested al-Rabiah amid a statewide crackdown on women's rights activists.  Al-Rabiah was known for his activism in support of women's ability to drive and opposition to the guardianship system. Following his arrest, al-Rabiah was reportedly subjected to various kinds of torture, including electrocution, waterboarding, beatings, confinement to inhumanely small spaces, and starvation.

After three years of detention, al-Rabiah was reportedly charged with "striving to destabilize the social fabric and weaken national cohesion and community cohesion," "communicating with others with the intent of disturbing the security and stability of the nation," and "writing and publishing a book containing suspicious instructions."  Prosecutors were reportedly seeking 25 years in prison under Article 6 of the Anti-Cyber Crime Law and Articles 53 and 55 of the Law on Combating and Financing Terrorism Crimes.

On March 21, 2021, al-Rabiah's case was transferred to the Specialized Criminal Court.

On April 20, 2021, al-Rabiah was sentenced to six years in prison.

In October 2022, it was reported that the Specialized Criminal Court retried al-Rabiah, despite him completing his sentence. 

In December 2022, it was reported that al-Rabiah was sentenced to 17 years in prison.

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Additional Name(s): عائشة المهاجري

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: February/15/2021

Current Status: Not Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment

Reason for Persecution: Attending a Religious Gathering or Meeting Discussing Religion & Religious Texts Giving, Sharing, & Listening to a Religious Speech Religious Activity

Nature of Charges: Unknown

Aisha al-Muhajiri

Extra Bio Info:

Aisha al-Muhajiri is detained for her religious activity and instruction.

On February 15, 2021, police raided al-Muhajiri's home in Mecca and detained her reportedly for preaching and giving Qur'an lessons at her home. Authorities reportedly then threatened her sons with detainment following their questioning of their mother's status.

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Additional Name(s): عبد الله الزاهر

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: Saudi Arabia

Ethnic Group: Arab

Religion or Belief: Muslim – Shi'a

Reports of Torture: Yes

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Sentence: Commuted to 10 Years' Imprisonment(Originally Death)

Date of Detainment: March//2012

Date of Sentencing: October//2014

Date of Release: November/14/2021

Current Status: Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Children’s Rights Protesting Religious Freedom Conditions Religious Identity

Nature of Charges: Arms Trafficking & Illicit Use of Weapons Harboring a Fugitive Illegal Assembly Terrorism

Abdullah al-Zaher

Extra Bio Info:

Abdullah al-Zaher was imprisoned for his religious identity and for protesting religious discrimination.

In March 2012, authorities detained al-Zaher, 15 years old at the time, for participating in protests against Shi'a discrimination in the Eastern Province. According to Human Rights Watch, al-Zaher was held in pre-trial detention for 22 months without being charged.  He was also denied access to a lawyer before and during his trial. 

When al-Zaher was finally charged, he was accused of "'participating in marches and gatherings...and chanting slogans against the state,' throwing Molotov cocktails at police patrols," and "concealing men wanted by security forces."

In October 2014, the Specialized Criminal Court convicted al-Zaher of all charges and sentenced him to death. The main pieces of evidence indicating his supposed guilt were the arrest report and a confession that he was reportedly coerced into signing. The court failed to investigate his torture allegations. 

Al-Zaher's sentence was upheld in October 2015.

In November 2020, al-Zaher's sentence was commuted to ten years in prison.

On November 14, 2021, al-Zaher was released. 

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