On Friday, UN experts issued a formal appeal to Saudi Arabia, urging the revocation of the death sentence imposed on social media dissident, Mohammad Al Ghamdi. Ghamdi was taken into custody by Saudi security services on June 11, facing criminal allegations related to his online commentary, including “betrayal of religion, country, and leadership” and the “propagation of false information”.
UN experts, including the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial executions and the Special Rapporteur on the protection of freedom of opinion, have criticized the severity of the penalties, arguing that these measures blatantly contravene international legal norms and human rights standards.
Ghamdi was convicted and sentenced to death by Saudi Arabia’s Specialized Criminal Court on July 10. The court defended its judgment by asserting that Ghamdi had committed a “heinous crime”, attracting global attention. However, UN human rights experts argue that expressing critical viewpoints online should not be considered a crime deserving of the death penalty under international law.
This news emerges amid an increasing crackdown in Saudi Arabia against individuals expressing their opinions via social media. Amnesty International documented 15 cases in 2022 alone, where individuals received prison sentences ranging from 10 to 45 years for peaceful online activities. One notable instance involved a Saudi woman who received the longest sentence ever recorded for peaceful online expression.