On January 7, 2025, human rights defender and former prisoner of conscience, Mohammed al-Qahtani, was conditionally released after spending 12 years in prison for his human rights work. Mohammed al-Qahtani finished serving his unjust 10-year prison sentence in 2022, yet he remained detained until this year. He was forcibly disappeared for two years, from October 2022 to November 2024. Mohammed al-Qahtani is the cofounder of the now disbanded Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association (ACPRA), formerly one of Saudi Arabia’s few independent human rights organizations. Mohammed al-Qahtani is now serving a 10-year travel ban, imposed as part of his sentence, which keeps him separated from his family who are based in the U.S. Saudi Arabian authorities must immediately lift the travel ban imposed on Mohammed al-Qahtani.
PLEASE TAKE ACTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE UNTIL: August 5, 2025
Your Excellency,
I am pleased that Mohammed al-Qahtani, human rights defender and co-founder of the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association (ACPRA), has been released from prison, yet dismayed to learn that Mohammed al-Qahtani is unable to reunite with his family in the United States due to the 10-year travel ban imposed on him as part of his sentence.
Mohammed al-Qahtani’s trial began in March 2012, when he was summoned for interrogation regarding his human rights activism with ACPRA. On March 9, 2013, the Criminal Court in Riyadh sentenced him to 10 years in prison to be followed by a travel ban of equal length on charges. The court also ordered the disbanding of ACPRA, confiscation of its property and the closure of its social media accounts.
Mohammed al-Qahtani was forcibly disappeared between October 24, 2022 and November 3, 2024, before his release from prison on January 7, 2025. He had completed his ten-year prison sentence in 2022.
I urge you to immediately lift the travel ban imposed on Mohammed al-Qahtani, allowing him to be reunited with his family. Saudi authorities must also release all human rights defenders and activists unjustly detained solely for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and association.
Yours sincerely,
[YOUR NAME]
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