The Saudi Arabian authorities have denied human rights defender Mohammed al-Qahtani contact with, and not disclosed his whereabouts to, his family since 24 October. Mohammed al-Qahtani is the co-founder of the now disbanded Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association (ACPRA), formerly one of Saudi Arabia’s few independent human rights organizations, and is serving a 10-year prison sentence for his peaceful human rights work. His family suspects that the authorities are not allowing him to contact them for previously complaining about being assaulted by another prisoner in his ward in October 2022. Amnesty International urges the Saudi Arabian authorities to reveal Mohammed al-Qahtani’s whereabouts, allow him to contact his family and immediately and unconditionally release him.
