Saleh Al-Shehi

In January 2018, Al-Shehi, a well-known anti-corruption columnist critical of the government, was sentenced to five years in prison for “insulting the royal court.” He was released in May 2020 in poor health and died on July 19, 2020, from complications believed to be related to COVID-19. The pandemic’s devastating impact on Saudi Arabia’s overcrowded prisons led to speculation about his release and subsequent death. In March 2021, his daughter, Watan, was detained for questioning by authorities.