Saudi Arabia

In response to the release of a U.S. congressional report identifying Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as having ordered the operation against journalist Jamal Khashoggi, rights groups call on the Biden administration to impose sanctions on the prince, and suspend arms sales.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns Google’s recent decision to extend its network of data centres into Saudi Arabia, and urges the tech giant to ensure data is protected from Saudi government surveillance.

Targeted Al Jazeera journalist Ghada Oueiss talks to the Committee to Protect Journalists about being hacked, navigating online misogynistic smear campaigns, and living in fear of physical repercussions for her work since the brutal killing of Jamal Khashoggi.

The U.S. intelligence community should confirm or deny the existence of documents that may provide information on its duty to warn “Washington Post” columnist Jamal Khashoggi of threats to his life before his murder, or provide more detailed explanations of their refusal to do so.

The Free Saudi Activists Coalition condemns the sentencing of Saudi women’s rights defender Loujain Al-Hathloul, and calls on governments around the world, including the incoming US Administration, to hold Saudi Arabia accountable for their continued human rights violations.

As G20 member countries meet in Riyadh this month, Human Rights Watch calls on government leaders to hold the kingdom accountable for human rights abuses, and release unlawfully detained prisoners of conscience like Loujain al-Hathloul and Raif Badawi.

IFEX member Vigilance for Democracy and the Civic Space, and a coalition of Tunisian organizations, welcome the launch of a new human rights organization founded in memory of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and reiterate calls for an independent, international investigation into his brutal killing.

Saudi woman human rights defender Loujain Al-Hathloul has been incommunicado in prison for the sixth week amidst an ongoing COVID-19 outbreak. The Gulf Centre for Human Rights calls for her immediate release, as well as many other imprisoned human rights defenders facing dire circumstances.

The International Press Institute condemns the ‘systemic’ targeting of Al Jazeera journalists Ghada Oueiss and Ola Fares, who continue to face Saudi-led online smear campaigns and phone hacking for their critical reporting.

From the killing of Jamal Khashoggi to the imprisonment and torture of activists and journalists, ADHRB documents a timeline of human rights violations in Saudi Arabia under Mohammed bin Salman, and the culture of impunity he has cultivated.

The Istanbul Chief Prosecutor Office is seeking aggravated life sentences for 18 men for murder charges, charged two others with “incitement to first degree murder,” and issued Interpol notices for their arrests.

Rights groups call on the Dakar Rally community to urge Saudi authorities to release imprisoned activists who peacefully campaigned for women’s rights in the kingdom, including the right to drive.

IFEX stands with 19 organizations in calling on the international community, the UN, and Saudi authorities to ensure justice for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi.

Authorities announced regulation changes that now allow women over 21 to travel abroad freely and obtain passports without permission from their male guardian. However, the new regulations do not positively affirm the right to travel abroad.

The mission, which took place in April, remained under wraps until now as the possibility of pardons during the Ramadan period was discussed; however, the Saudi government did not act.

Open letter highlights mass executions, the arbitrary arrest and torture of women’s rights activists, and the extrajudicial killing of Jamal Khashoggi. The group of NGOs calls on the Human Rights Council to establish a monitoring mechanism.