Thumar Al-Marzouqi

Al-Marzouqi was seized in a home raid during a wave of arrests in April 2019, in what some believe was a crackdown on individuals supporting women’s rights in the… More

Maha Al-Rafidi Al-Qahtani

In September 2019, Saudi authorities raided Al-Qahtani's home and have held her in arbitrary pretrial detention since. As of January 2020 she was reportedly held in solitary confinement and… More

Nassima Al-Sadah

Al-Sadah is a columnist whose writing questioned the male guardianship system and advocated for greater rights for women, including the right to drive. In late August 2018, Al-Sadah was… More

Mohammed Al-Sadiq

One of several writers arrested in April 2019, Al-Sadiq previously wrote about sectarianism, conflict, and economic inequality in the region. He was also active in the movement to end… More

Ali Al-Saffar

Al-Saffar is one of several commentators and writers arrested in April 2019. He had previously written about the Syrian Civil War and regional conflicts but had not been active… More

Mohammed Saud Al-Bishr

Al-Bishr, a professor and commentator on politics and religion, was arrested in October 2017. Human rights monitors report that he was arrested for commenting on excessive censorship in media.… More

Redha Al-Boori

Al-Boori was arrested in April 2019 in a wave of arrests targeting writers and commentators. Prior to his arrest, he had written about regional politics, though he had not… More

Writers at Risk Database

Nouf Abdulaziz

Columnist and women’s rights activist Abdulaziz was arrested and detained in June 2018. While in detention, she was reportedly tortured and sexually harassed. In February 2021, after prolonged delays… More

Writers at Risk Database

Waleed Abu Al-Khair

Al-Khair was the first activist prosecuted under a new Saudi Arabian law that introduced overly broad definitions of terrorism, such that it applies to speech. In June 2014, he… More

Raif Badawi

Raif Badawi

Badawi was arrested in 2012 and sentenced to 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes for “insulting Islam” and “founding a liberal website,” Free Saudi Liberals. While detained, he… More