Saudi Arabia Releases Prisoners Amid Ongoing Human Rights Violations
Human Rights Watch reported that between December 2024 and February 2025, Saudi authorities released at least 44 prisoners, many of whom had been serving long sentences for peacefully exercising their rights, HRW website reported. Despite these releases, numerous individuals and political dissenters remain arbitrarily detained, highlighting ongoing human rights concerns in the kingdom.
The released prisoners include activists convicted for charges such as “setting up an unlicensed organization” and “disseminating false information.” Many of these individuals faced significant sentences, with some, like Salma al-Shehab, initially sentenced to 34 years before reductions to four years. The Saudi government continues to impose travel bans and monitoring on released activists.
Reports indicate that high-profile detainees, including prominent clerics and human rights defenders, remain imprisoned under vague counterterrorism laws that violate international standards. These laws grant authorities broad powers for arrests without judicial oversight, leading to systematic abuses in the criminal justice system.
Human Rights Watch documented cases of individuals held without charge for extended periods, denial of legal assistance, and reliance on coerced confessions. The organization urged the international community to recognize the lack of genuine reform in Saudi Arabia’s approach to human rights and to advocate for the release of all those unjustly detained.
