Mohammed al-Qahtani is a prominent Saudi human rights defender, academic, and co-founder of the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association (ACPRA). Mohammed al-Qahtani was arrested in June 2012 during a wave of arrests of Saudi human rights defenders and activists. He was sentenced to a 10-year prison sentence, followed by a travel ban of an equal length on charges including “breaking allegiance to the ruler” and “questioning the integrity of officials”. The ACPRA was also disbanded by court order.
Human rights defenders, activists and individuals who criticise government policies or express dissent or diverging opinion to those of the authorities are subjected to harassment, surveillance, arbitrary detention, smear campaigns, prolonged and unfair trials. Family members of HRDs are also targeted and subjected to intimidation and harassment at the hands of the authorities.
