While Saudi Arabia continues to conceal defenders of human rights and intensify violations against them, information from inside the prison has indicated that the lawyer and activist Walid Abu al-Khair has been subjected to harassment and violations, in addition to deliberate medical neglect and being targeted by other prisoners.
Abu al-Khair is serving a 15-year prison sentence, of which he has already spent 10 years as of last April. During these years, he has faced serious violations that led him to declare hunger strikes on multiple occasions.
In addition, the information indicated that human rights defenders Mohammed al-Qahtani and Issa al-Nakhifi had gone on hunger strikes more than once during the past year, leading to al-Qahtani being transferred to the hospital due to deteriorating health conditions.
These pieces of information come as Saudi Arabia continues to forcibly conceal both al-Nakhifi and al-Qahtani since October 2022, with their families unaware of their whereabouts or their conditions. Al-Qahtani was supposed to be released in November 2022 and al-Nakhifi in October 2022 after the completion of their sentences.
The European Saudi Organization for Human Rights indicates that the consecutive violations suffered by human rights defenders in Saudi Arabia have driven them to go on hunger strikes more than once. However, the lack of transparency and forced disappearance have prevented information from reaching adequately. The organization considers that the treatment activists face inside prisons is part of a path of criminalizing their activities and intimidating them.
ESOHR believes that information about violations against defenders raises genuine concerns about their lives and safety, especially with some of them still being hidden. The organization emphasizes that the Saudi government is directly responsible for their lives, conditions, and safety in prisons amid violations that have led to deaths under torture, neglect, and mysterious circumstances.
ESOHR believes that information about violations against defenders raises genuine concerns about their lives and safety, especially with some of them still being hidden. The organization emphasizes that the Saudi government is directly responsible for their lives, conditions, and safety in prisons amid violations that have led to deaths under torture, neglect, and mysterious circumstances.
The path traced from the hunger strikes of human rights defenders:
- • On April 10, 2012, the Civil and Political Rights Association (HASM) affirmed in a statement that the prominent human rights activist, Mohammed bin Saleh al-Bajadi's health had deteriorated after he had been on a hunger strike for weeks. Al-Bajadi had declared the hunger strike to demand his immediate release or to be granted a fair and public trial attended by his legal representatives.
- • In February 2019, human rights activist Abdullah al-Hamid announced a hunger strike in response to a wave of arrests targeting activists and defenders, demanding the release of all prisoners of conscience. Several detainees joined al-Hamid in his strike.
- • In December 2019, three activists, including Khaled al-Omair, lawyer Walid Abu al-Khair, and Raif Badawi, announced a hunger strike protesting against their poor prison conditions. Information indicated that al-Omair began his hunger strike protesting the arbitrary extension of his detention beyond the legal period, while Abu al-Khair went on strike protesting his continued solitary confinement under strict surveillance.
- • In October 2020, the family of Saudi activist Loujain al-Hathloul confirmed that their daughter had announced a hunger strike due to being deprived of her right to contact them.
- • In January 2021, activist Mohammed al-Otaibi announced a hunger strike in his Saudi prison. Al-Otaibi demanded to be transferred from the General Intelligence Prison in Dammam to a prison closer to his family's residence in Jeddah. He also requested appropriate medical care as he suffers from high blood pressure and was not provided with the necessary medication by the prison authorities.
- • In March 2021, more than 30 prisoners of conscience, including human rights activists Mohammed al-Qahtani, Fawzan al-Harbi, Issa al-Nakhifi, Fahd al-Areeni, and writer Mohammed al-Hudhaif, announced a hunger strike protesting against harassment in Al-Ha'ir Prison in Riyadh. Additionally, human rights activist Abdulaziz al-Sanadi, detained in Onaiza Prison in Al-Qassim, joined the strike.
- • On April 17, 2022, information received by human rights organizations confirmed the announcement of activist and human rights defender Issa al-Nakhifi's hunger strike from Al-Ha'ir Prison in Riyadh. According to the information, al-Nakhifi's hunger strike came in response to the refusal of his demands to conclude government transactions, which led to pressure on his family and children due to their non-completion.
- • On August 15, 2021, human rights defender Mohammed al-Qahtani announced a hunger strike after his demands were not met, especially his request to be transferred from the wing where prisoners with mental illnesses are located to another wing.