GRANT LIBERTY Saudi Prisoners of Conscience Report 2020/21 WAR ON FREEDOM Table of Contents Table of Contents 04 About Grant Liberty 36 Human Rights Violations 06 Foreword 48 Categories Of Prisoner 08 In Brief 72 Activism 09 Highlights and Stats 74 G20 and Beyond 10 Executive Summary 76 Conclusion 24 Family Testimonies 28 MBS ERA 32 Prisoners of Conscience in the MBS Era GRANT LIBERTY Grant Liberty is a London-based non-profit organisation which aims to stand and fight for human rights worldwide. Grant Liberty is the official advocacy wing of Forgotten Women, a global voice for those who have been silenced. There are individuals, groups and communities worldwide We aim to provide liberty for all regardless of race, colour and belief, whose basic human rights have been denied, who suffer OUR VALUES to hold to account those who have forced injustice on the innocent. We do this by lobbying, raising awareness, engaging in global in silence, whether because of extreme torture, abuse Grant Liberty is an official global voice coverage, petitioning and involving national and international for those who have been silenced, or deprived of their freedom. For this reason the birth of oppressed and imprisoned. Our core courts to fight against global oppression. values are based on fundamental Grant Liberty was inevitable. beliefs as follows: We expect individuals, groups, communities and governments to uphold these values in every corner of the globe. Wherever there is an infringement of these values, we shall aim to address them. Saladin Ali, CEO - Grant Liberty Justice Grant Liberty is funded by private donors from the UK, US and EU. It Freedom does not receive funding from any government. Equality Founded: Dignity 2016 Security Headquarters: Accountability London, United Kingdom Forgotten Women Forgotten Women is a charity run by women for women, a charity dedicated to helping women in crisis and emergencies. The charity was set up after witnessing first-hand the ‘sex for aid’ and Advocacy is an integral manipulation of women in vulnerable situations. part of our overall We envision a world where every woman is given the opportunity to mission, you cannot be an live a life free from humiliation, poverty and abuse. A world in which humanitarian and ignore women are free to preserve their dignity, health, well-being and the global struggle for economic independence. basic rights Miss Sundeep Bahia. Founder 4 GRANT LIBERTY 2020/21 GRANT LIBERTY 2020/21 5 demand for democracy across the Middle East and freedom and constitutional recourse to choose North Africa. The changes in Tunisia and Egypt led their government through free and fair elections. directly to recent moves in Saudi Arabia and the Emirates in order to protect their monarchies. This report seeks to highlight abuses and put into context the scale of human rights violations A boycott of Qatar and Turkey began in April 2017 against those who are the very essence of Saudi and a decree was issued to all prominent figures Arabia – its citizens. A fairer society is not simply in the Kingdom to support the move and speak accorded by giving its citizens access to ‘freedom against the state of Qatar in clear terms with open toys’ like cinema, concerts, and shopping malls criticism. but the basic of right to choose their individual, societal and national political and social direction. At the same time a major crackdown began against those who opposed the rising tension But this report is no counsel of despair – it ends between the various states and sought a more with a plan. As the Saudi government continues its peaceful and conciliatory approach. Dozens of PR-led campaign towards acceptance as a fully- influential clerics and intellectuals were detained fledged member of the international community which signalled the start of a sweeping repression – this project seeks to provide the basis for those on the expression of thoughts and opinions. who believe in human rights to insist on the release of these prisoners as the minimum price of The bloggers, activists, academics and religious admission. scholars imprisoned are ‘charged’ with acting on behalf of “foreign parties against the security of In November 2020, Saudi Arabia will host the the kingdom” and accused of having ties to groups G20. Already we have seen the leaders of some of like the Muslim Brotherhood. Several of those the world’s great cities boycott the U20 Mayors’ FOREWORD detained and still serving sentences without trials Summit, and we have seen recent attempts at are for the ‘criminal act’ of sending tweets calling ‘sportswashing’ – notably the proposed purchase for reconciliation or concern for those imprisoned of Newcastle United Football Club – fall apart. SALADIN ALI, CEO, GRANT LIBERTY for thought crimes. We believe that campaigning works, that media pressure works, and that the Saudi authorities can Human rights issues that existed in the past be made to see sense. have now escalated to alarming proportions Grant Liberty fights for communities around the to their arrest, to the barbaric treatment they which include unlawful killings; executions for We need to build the deepest and broadest world whose human rights are being trampled have suffered and the legal position they face. We non-violent offences; forced renditions; forced coalition possible to fight for change. In that spirit I and whose voices are being silenced. It is only include new data providing insight into the bigger disappearances; and torture of prisoners and would like to thank everyone who has contributed natural, therefore, that we begin with prisoners of picture alongside individual testimonies detailing detainees by government agents. We have also to the publication of this report, particularly conscience. the very real personal torment from the family seen ransoming and the arrest and torture of Lina al-Hathloul, Areej al-Sadhan, Abdullah members of those in prison. In Saudi Arabia today, activists are languishing in family members. Alaoudah and Adbullah al-Ghamdi who have jail for the crime of wanting a better world. They The ultimate cause of this report is Saudi Arabia’s written movingly about their loved ones and their The crackdown has led to arbitrary arrest and have been tortured, forced into hunger strikes and monarchy run by prince Muhammad bin Salman, conditions, and I would like to thank our friends detention; the mass arrest of political prisoners sexually assaulted, held in solitary confinement for the son of the 83-year-old King Salman bin across civil society who have taken the time to – including for acts committed as children; months on end and separated from their families. Abdulaziz Al Saud. They can both be considered as look at this report and offer their kind thoughts restrictions on freedoms of peaceful assembly, Many still await charge years after their arrest, and joint heads of state and the government, with the and comments. association, and movement; severe restrictions of some have seen their family members and lawyers 35-year-old son in overall charge of affairs. religious freedom; trafficking in persons; violence This report is the first of many we will publish at follow them into prison. The king has been in power since the death of his and further persecution of women, although new Grant Liberty, In the coming months our team will This report seeks to provide a comprehensive brother in 2015; his son has been running all affairs women’s rights initiatives were implemented, campaign for human rights wherever and however analysis of the position of prisoners of conscience of the Kingdom since 2017. They are both heavily many of the champions of women’s right are we can from the concentration camps of Uighurs in Saudi Arabia – from the campaigning that led influenced by fear of the Arab spring and the rising imprisoned for the exact causes that have now to women’s rights in Bangladesh. been accorded. Saudis are not granted the SALADIN ALI | CEO at GRANT LIBERTY 6 GRANT LIBERTY 2020/21 GRANT LIBERTY 2020/21 7 IN BRIEF REPORT HIGHLIGHTS Royal Family; 12 Women's Rights Artist; 9 309 Activists; 27 Academic; 37 Known prisoners of conscience we detail, arrested in the MBS-era or whose cases continue Business Person; Religious Figures; 21 46 Family Member; 21 Minors; 20 Political prisoners in Saudi Arabia are being family members of activists – even of the peaceful Government official; 26 tortured, sexually assaulted and even political campaigning for which their loved ones murdered. Behind the expensive PR is a have angered the authorities. regime that systematically abuses prisoners Journalist; 54 Human Rights of conscience by the hundred against its own But we begin with first person accounts of family Activist; 44 Known Prisoners Of rules and in violation of the international members of those whose loved ones remain Conscience By Numbers treaties it has signed. in prison – Lina al-Hathloul, Areej al-Sadhan, Abudllah al-Odah and Abdullah al-Ghamdi. Their In this report we tell the stories of the young stories are a stain on the conscience of the world.. people put to death for crimes committed at ages Ultimately, this report proves that the murder as young as 10; we show how simply calling for of Jamal Khashoggi was not an aberration, it peace in a tweet can lead to the death penalty; 6 represents standard operating practice. MBS might Sexual Violence and we list those who have died in custody in as well stand for murder, brutality and sexual suspicious circumstances. Solitary confinement 44 assault. We detail the depths of industrial scale physical Observers denied access to court hearings 14 The rest of the world needs to wake up – Saudi and psychological torture from the widespread Arabia must not be welcomed into the community use of electric shocks to beatings and even sexual Enforced disappearance 34 of respectable nations while it tortures, abuses abuse.