Saudi Arabia continues to detain the human rights defender Mohammed bin Fahd al-Rabiah, despite the expiry of his sentence of four years and six months last September 2022. According to the information, before the end of his imprisonment, the Supreme Court overturned his sentence while he was waiting for his release.
The shock and timing of the news prompted al-Rabiah to announce his hunger strike, especially in light of fears that he might continue to be arbitrarily detained for many years, as happened with others, and in light of the recent unprecedented harsh sentences against activists, which amounted to 90 years.
Al-Rabiah is a human rights defender from Saudi Arabia. He was active in campaigns that demanded women's rights, especially the right to drive. He was arrested on May 15, 2018, during a wave of arrests of male and female human rights defenders.
For almost a year, al-Rabiah was brutally tortured in an unknown location. He was subjected to electric shocks, waterboarding, being placed in a small wardrobe for several days, and being prevented from sitting or sleeping. He was suspended by his feet upside down and beaten until he lost consciousness and starved.
On April 20, 2021, the Specialized Criminal Court sentenced Muhammad al-Rabiah to 6 years in prison and banned him from travelling for another 6 years. The Court of Appeal reduced the sentence to 4 years and six months, with a stay of one year and six months. He was charged with the destabilisation of the social fabric and national cohesion, the incitement of sedition, the implementation of foreign agendas, and the publication of writings on social media.
The Al-Rabiah case was among several issues raised by the United Nations special rapporteurs in May 2021. They confirmed that Saudi Arabia exercises a pattern of restrictions against any form of opposition and that there is systematic suffocation against anyone who exercises their right to express an opinion, establish associations or defend it. The letter referred to the use of the anti-terrorism law against several male and female defenders, including Muhammad al-Rabiah. The European Saudi Organization for Human Rights affirms that the continued detention of al-Rabiah despite the expiry of his sentence, and the preparation for his retrial, confirms the lack of independence and justice of the Saudi judiciary and raises serious concerns about the steps that the Saudi government may take, especially in light of the high pace of repression and the new harsh sentences against Activists and activists. ESOHR considers the recent rulings that extend for decades and the ongoing arbitrary arrests on charges related to expressing an opinion and practising legitimate activities, as an escalation in the Saudi government's approach to stifling society and imposing silence.