ALQST for Human Rights
@alqst.bsky.social
ALQST is an independent, not-for-profit organisation that works to defend human rights in Saudi Arabia. https://alqst.org/en
Mohammed al-Qahtani, a 60-year-old human rights defender and academic remains trapped in Saudi Arabia under a 10-year travel ban, preventing him from reuniting with his wife and five children—all of whom are US citizens— in the United States.
November 20, 2025 at 11:19 AM
Mohammed al-Qahtani, a 60-year-old human rights defender and academic remains trapped in Saudi Arabia under a 10-year travel ban, preventing him from reuniting with his wife and five children—all of whom are US citizens— in the United States.
Political cartoonist Mohammed Ahmed Al Hazzaa al-Ghamdi is serving 23 years in prison in #SaudiArabia in connection with his work for a newspaper.
His sentence is one of many harsh prison sentences imposed by the Saudi authorities on charges related to peaceful expression.
His sentence is one of many harsh prison sentences imposed by the Saudi authorities on charges related to peaceful expression.
November 18, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Political cartoonist Mohammed Ahmed Al Hazzaa al-Ghamdi is serving 23 years in prison in #SaudiArabia in connection with his work for a newspaper.
His sentence is one of many harsh prison sentences imposed by the Saudi authorities on charges related to peaceful expression.
His sentence is one of many harsh prison sentences imposed by the Saudi authorities on charges related to peaceful expression.
As Mohammed bin Salman visits the United States today, the US administration should press Saudi authorities for concrete human rights commitments — including releasing prisoners of conscience, lifting arbitrary travel bans, and imposing a moratorium on executions.
November 18, 2025 at 3:14 PM
As Mohammed bin Salman visits the United States today, the US administration should press Saudi authorities for concrete human rights commitments — including releasing prisoners of conscience, lifting arbitrary travel bans, and imposing a moratorium on executions.
Three years ago, Saudi fitness trainer Manahel al-Otaibi was arrested for her choice of clothing and support for women’s rights, freedoms she thought she had (as seen in this 2019 interview).
She's now serving five years in prison, where she faces repeated abuse. #FreeManahel
She's now serving five years in prison, where she faces repeated abuse. #FreeManahel
November 17, 2025 at 10:43 AM
Three years ago, Saudi fitness trainer Manahel al-Otaibi was arrested for her choice of clothing and support for women’s rights, freedoms she thought she had (as seen in this 2019 interview).
She's now serving five years in prison, where she faces repeated abuse. #FreeManahel
She's now serving five years in prison, where she faces repeated abuse. #FreeManahel
Sunday marks 3⃣ years since Manahel al-Otaibi's arrrest, who remains unjustly imprisoned in #SaudiArabia.
See our new briefing with ways to help:
➡️ alqst.org/File/briefin...
🐦 Post with #FreeManahel
✏️ Sign the petition
www.globalcitizen.org/en/action/re...
✉️ Write to officials
See our new briefing with ways to help:
➡️ alqst.org/File/briefin...
🐦 Post with #FreeManahel
✏️ Sign the petition
www.globalcitizen.org/en/action/re...
✉️ Write to officials
November 14, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Sunday marks 3⃣ years since Manahel al-Otaibi's arrrest, who remains unjustly imprisoned in #SaudiArabia.
See our new briefing with ways to help:
➡️ alqst.org/File/briefin...
🐦 Post with #FreeManahel
✏️ Sign the petition
www.globalcitizen.org/en/action/re...
✉️ Write to officials
See our new briefing with ways to help:
➡️ alqst.org/File/briefin...
🐦 Post with #FreeManahel
✏️ Sign the petition
www.globalcitizen.org/en/action/re...
✉️ Write to officials
Saudi aid worker Abdulrahman al-Sadhan remains forcibly disappeared, serving 20 years in prison for peaceful satire on X.
See our briefing with steps you can take:
➡️ alqst.org/File/briefin...
🐦 Post online under the hashtag #FreeSadhan
✏️ Sign the petition
✉️ Write to your elected representative
See our briefing with steps you can take:
➡️ alqst.org/File/briefin...
🐦 Post online under the hashtag #FreeSadhan
✏️ Sign the petition
✉️ Write to your elected representative
November 13, 2025 at 12:57 PM
Saudi aid worker Abdulrahman al-Sadhan remains forcibly disappeared, serving 20 years in prison for peaceful satire on X.
See our briefing with steps you can take:
➡️ alqst.org/File/briefin...
🐦 Post online under the hashtag #FreeSadhan
✏️ Sign the petition
✉️ Write to your elected representative
See our briefing with steps you can take:
➡️ alqst.org/File/briefin...
🐦 Post online under the hashtag #FreeSadhan
✏️ Sign the petition
✉️ Write to your elected representative
With @financialtimes.com's new investigation out today exploring the unravelling of Saudi Arabia’s Neom megacity, look back at our briefing paper on the wide range of concerns regarding the project.
➡️ alqst.org/en/post/neom...
➡️ alqst.org/en/post/neom...
November 6, 2025 at 2:00 PM
With @financialtimes.com's new investigation out today exploring the unravelling of Saudi Arabia’s Neom megacity, look back at our briefing paper on the wide range of concerns regarding the project.
➡️ alqst.org/en/post/neom...
➡️ alqst.org/en/post/neom...
Yesterday the Saudi authorities executed a Nigerian woman for drug-related crimes.
They have executed at least 320 people so far in 2025, including five women.
They have executed at least 320 people so far in 2025, including five women.
November 5, 2025 at 11:09 AM
Yesterday the Saudi authorities executed a Nigerian woman for drug-related crimes.
They have executed at least 320 people so far in 2025, including five women.
They have executed at least 320 people so far in 2025, including five women.
🕊️ ALQST has learned that teacher Mona al-Bayali, detained for six years for exercising her right to free speech, has been released.
Her cousin Ghaida al-Bayali, detained for two years in al-Tarafiya Prison, was also recently released, along with several other detainees.
Her cousin Ghaida al-Bayali, detained for two years in al-Tarafiya Prison, was also recently released, along with several other detainees.
November 4, 2025 at 5:43 PM
🕊️ ALQST has learned that teacher Mona al-Bayali, detained for six years for exercising her right to free speech, has been released.
Her cousin Ghaida al-Bayali, detained for two years in al-Tarafiya Prison, was also recently released, along with several other detainees.
Her cousin Ghaida al-Bayali, detained for two years in al-Tarafiya Prison, was also recently released, along with several other detainees.
Over the weekend the #Saudi authorities' executed five Pakistani nationals for non-lethal drug offences.
They have now executed at least 319 people so far in 2025, and are on course to exceed last year’s record number of 345 executions.
#NoDeathPenalty
They have now executed at least 319 people so far in 2025, and are on course to exceed last year’s record number of 345 executions.
#NoDeathPenalty
November 3, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Over the weekend the #Saudi authorities' executed five Pakistani nationals for non-lethal drug offences.
They have now executed at least 319 people so far in 2025, and are on course to exceed last year’s record number of 345 executions.
#NoDeathPenalty
They have now executed at least 319 people so far in 2025, and are on course to exceed last year’s record number of 345 executions.
#NoDeathPenalty
Despite completing his prison term over two years ago, Saudi human rights defender and ACPRA co-founder Mohammed al-Bejadi now faces retrial.
📅 His next court hearing is on Monday 27 October, at the SCC. ALQST encourages diplomats to request access to the trial.
#FreeAlBejadi
📅 His next court hearing is on Monday 27 October, at the SCC. ALQST encourages diplomats to request access to the trial.
#FreeAlBejadi
October 24, 2025 at 2:35 PM
Despite completing his prison term over two years ago, Saudi human rights defender and ACPRA co-founder Mohammed al-Bejadi now faces retrial.
📅 His next court hearing is on Monday 27 October, at the SCC. ALQST encourages diplomats to request access to the trial.
#FreeAlBejadi
📅 His next court hearing is on Monday 27 October, at the SCC. ALQST encourages diplomats to request access to the trial.
#FreeAlBejadi
Today #SaudiArabia's authorities executed two more Egyptian nationals for drug-related offences- Mohammed Saad (pictured) and Omar Sherif.
Both suffered abuses throughout their detention and trial, including denial of family contact and confessions extracted through torture.
Both suffered abuses throughout their detention and trial, including denial of family contact and confessions extracted through torture.
October 21, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Today #SaudiArabia's authorities executed two more Egyptian nationals for drug-related offences- Mohammed Saad (pictured) and Omar Sherif.
Both suffered abuses throughout their detention and trial, including denial of family contact and confessions extracted through torture.
Both suffered abuses throughout their detention and trial, including denial of family contact and confessions extracted through torture.
Saudi authorities today announced the execution of child defendant Abdullah al-Derazi.
He was convicted of alleged terrorism-related crimes after taking part in protests when under 18.
He faced gross abuses throughout his detention and trial, including torture-tainted confessions.
He was convicted of alleged terrorism-related crimes after taking part in protests when under 18.
He faced gross abuses throughout his detention and trial, including torture-tainted confessions.
October 20, 2025 at 12:10 PM
Saudi authorities today announced the execution of child defendant Abdullah al-Derazi.
He was convicted of alleged terrorism-related crimes after taking part in protests when under 18.
He faced gross abuses throughout his detention and trial, including torture-tainted confessions.
He was convicted of alleged terrorism-related crimes after taking part in protests when under 18.
He faced gross abuses throughout his detention and trial, including torture-tainted confessions.
#RiyadhFashionWeek kicks off today, featuring Vivienne Westwood, Stella McCartney and others.
Meanwhile, Saudi authorities continue to suppress basic rights.
Despite claimed reforms for women, Manahel al-Otaibi is serving five years for her clothing choices and peaceful activism.
Meanwhile, Saudi authorities continue to suppress basic rights.
Despite claimed reforms for women, Manahel al-Otaibi is serving five years for her clothing choices and peaceful activism.
October 16, 2025 at 9:16 AM
#RiyadhFashionWeek kicks off today, featuring Vivienne Westwood, Stella McCartney and others.
Meanwhile, Saudi authorities continue to suppress basic rights.
Despite claimed reforms for women, Manahel al-Otaibi is serving five years for her clothing choices and peaceful activism.
Meanwhile, Saudi authorities continue to suppress basic rights.
Despite claimed reforms for women, Manahel al-Otaibi is serving five years for her clothing choices and peaceful activism.
The Riyadh Comedy Festival is over, with participating comedians expressing a mixture of justification and regret.
Meanwhile, Saudi aid worker Abdulrahman al-Sadhan remains forcibly disappeared, serving 20 years in jail for peaceful satiral content on X.
Will participants speak up? #FreeSadhan
Meanwhile, Saudi aid worker Abdulrahman al-Sadhan remains forcibly disappeared, serving 20 years in jail for peaceful satiral content on X.
Will participants speak up? #FreeSadhan
October 15, 2025 at 11:34 AM
The Riyadh Comedy Festival is over, with participating comedians expressing a mixture of justification and regret.
Meanwhile, Saudi aid worker Abdulrahman al-Sadhan remains forcibly disappeared, serving 20 years in jail for peaceful satiral content on X.
Will participants speak up? #FreeSadhan
Meanwhile, Saudi aid worker Abdulrahman al-Sadhan remains forcibly disappeared, serving 20 years in jail for peaceful satiral content on X.
Will participants speak up? #FreeSadhan
Two more Egyptian nationals were executed yesterday in Saudi Arabia for non-lethal drug-related offences.
This raises grave fears for the lives of Egyptians threatened with imminent execution for such offences, including Mohammed Saad (pictured left) and Essam al-Shazly (pictured left).
This raises grave fears for the lives of Egyptians threatened with imminent execution for such offences, including Mohammed Saad (pictured left) and Essam al-Shazly (pictured left).
October 14, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Two more Egyptian nationals were executed yesterday in Saudi Arabia for non-lethal drug-related offences.
This raises grave fears for the lives of Egyptians threatened with imminent execution for such offences, including Mohammed Saad (pictured left) and Essam al-Shazly (pictured left).
This raises grave fears for the lives of Egyptians threatened with imminent execution for such offences, including Mohammed Saad (pictured left) and Essam al-Shazly (pictured left).
The sudden execution of Saudi journalist Turki al-Jasser in June, after seven years of enforced disappearance, dramatically illustrated how the Saudi authorities weaponise the use of the death penalty as a tool to repress freedom of expression.
#WorldDayAgainstTheDeathPenalty
#WorldDayAgainstTheDeathPenalty
October 10, 2025 at 3:20 PM
The sudden execution of Saudi journalist Turki al-Jasser in June, after seven years of enforced disappearance, dramatically illustrated how the Saudi authorities weaponise the use of the death penalty as a tool to repress freedom of expression.
#WorldDayAgainstTheDeathPenalty
#WorldDayAgainstTheDeathPenalty
Of the 292 individuals publicly reported as having been executed in Saudi Arabia so far this year (as of 9 October), 195 were executed for drug-related crimes, 151 of whom were foreign nationals from Asian and African countries including Somalia, Ethiopia, Pakistan, Egypt and Afghanistan.
October 10, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Of the 292 individuals publicly reported as having been executed in Saudi Arabia so far this year (as of 9 October), 195 were executed for drug-related crimes, 151 of whom were foreign nationals from Asian and African countries including Somalia, Ethiopia, Pakistan, Egypt and Afghanistan.
Saudi authorities have executed at least 292 people so far in 2025, including four women.
They are on course to exceed last year’s record number of 345 executions, in contradiction of their own commitments to limit the use of the death penalty.
#WorldDayAgainstTheDeathPenalty
They are on course to exceed last year’s record number of 345 executions, in contradiction of their own commitments to limit the use of the death penalty.
#WorldDayAgainstTheDeathPenalty
October 10, 2025 at 12:46 PM
Saudi authorities have executed at least 292 people so far in 2025, including four women.
They are on course to exceed last year’s record number of 345 executions, in contradiction of their own commitments to limit the use of the death penalty.
#WorldDayAgainstTheDeathPenalty
They are on course to exceed last year’s record number of 345 executions, in contradiction of their own commitments to limit the use of the death penalty.
#WorldDayAgainstTheDeathPenalty
On #WorldDayAgainstTheDeathPenalty ALQST and 35 NGOs express our horror at the alarming surge in executions in #SaudiArabia.
At least 292 people have been executed in 2025, amid egregious violations of international human rights law.
#NoDeathPenalty
Read more here:
alqst.org/en/post/ngos...
At least 292 people have been executed in 2025, amid egregious violations of international human rights law.
#NoDeathPenalty
Read more here:
alqst.org/en/post/ngos...
October 10, 2025 at 10:30 AM
On #WorldDayAgainstTheDeathPenalty ALQST and 35 NGOs express our horror at the alarming surge in executions in #SaudiArabia.
At least 292 people have been executed in 2025, amid egregious violations of international human rights law.
#NoDeathPenalty
Read more here:
alqst.org/en/post/ngos...
At least 292 people have been executed in 2025, amid egregious violations of international human rights law.
#NoDeathPenalty
Read more here:
alqst.org/en/post/ngos...
🚨 Despite completing his prison term over two years ago, veteran Saudi human rights defender and ACPRA co-founder Mohammed al-Bejadi now faces retrial.
His next court hearing is on Monday 27 October.
#FreeAlBejadi
See our previous joint statement:
alqst.org/en/post/rele...
His next court hearing is on Monday 27 October.
#FreeAlBejadi
See our previous joint statement:
alqst.org/en/post/rele...
October 8, 2025 at 3:10 PM
🚨 Despite completing his prison term over two years ago, veteran Saudi human rights defender and ACPRA co-founder Mohammed al-Bejadi now faces retrial.
His next court hearing is on Monday 27 October.
#FreeAlBejadi
See our previous joint statement:
alqst.org/en/post/rele...
His next court hearing is on Monday 27 October.
#FreeAlBejadi
See our previous joint statement:
alqst.org/en/post/rele...
Today is Abdullah al-Derazi’s 30th birthday. Arrested in 2014, he was sentenced to death after a grossly unfair trial for alleged crimes during protests aged only 17.
The recent execution of child defendant Jalal Labbad raises grave fears for his life.
➡️ alqst.org/en/political...
The recent execution of child defendant Jalal Labbad raises grave fears for his life.
➡️ alqst.org/en/political...
October 8, 2025 at 10:10 AM
Today is Abdullah al-Derazi’s 30th birthday. Arrested in 2014, he was sentenced to death after a grossly unfair trial for alleged crimes during protests aged only 17.
The recent execution of child defendant Jalal Labbad raises grave fears for his life.
➡️ alqst.org/en/political...
The recent execution of child defendant Jalal Labbad raises grave fears for his life.
➡️ alqst.org/en/political...
Human rights activist and ACPRA member Omar al-Saeed, arbitrarily detained in Saudi Arabia since June 2018, is currently being held in solitary confinement.
We call on the Saudi authorities to release him immediately.
We call on the Saudi authorities to release him immediately.
October 7, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Human rights activist and ACPRA member Omar al-Saeed, arbitrarily detained in Saudi Arabia since June 2018, is currently being held in solitary confinement.
We call on the Saudi authorities to release him immediately.
We call on the Saudi authorities to release him immediately.
Today is human rights defender Abdulrahman al-Khalidi's 32nd birthday.
For the fourth birthday in a row, he spends it in degrading conditions in Sofia’s Busmantsi Detention Centre.
He remains at risk of deportation to Saudi Arabia, where he'd risk facing grave abuses.
For the fourth birthday in a row, he spends it in degrading conditions in Sofia’s Busmantsi Detention Centre.
He remains at risk of deportation to Saudi Arabia, where he'd risk facing grave abuses.
October 6, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Today is human rights defender Abdulrahman al-Khalidi's 32nd birthday.
For the fourth birthday in a row, he spends it in degrading conditions in Sofia’s Busmantsi Detention Centre.
He remains at risk of deportation to Saudi Arabia, where he'd risk facing grave abuses.
For the fourth birthday in a row, he spends it in degrading conditions in Sofia’s Busmantsi Detention Centre.
He remains at risk of deportation to Saudi Arabia, where he'd risk facing grave abuses.
Media figure Muhammad Eid al-Omrani al-Huwaiti (owner of the Huweitat official snapchat account) has been released after five years of arbitrary detention in Saudi Arabia, along with Abdullah Atallah al-Saree'i al-Huwaiti.
They were arrested for opposing their forced displacement for #Neom.
They were arrested for opposing their forced displacement for #Neom.
October 6, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Media figure Muhammad Eid al-Omrani al-Huwaiti (owner of the Huweitat official snapchat account) has been released after five years of arbitrary detention in Saudi Arabia, along with Abdullah Atallah al-Saree'i al-Huwaiti.
They were arrested for opposing their forced displacement for #Neom.
They were arrested for opposing their forced displacement for #Neom.