Dr. Mohammed Al-Qahtani is a prominent Saudi human rights defender, academic, and co-founder of the now-disbanded Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association (ACPRA). In 2013, Al-Qahtani was arbitrarily detained in Al-Ha’ir Prison and was meant to complete a 10 year prison sentence in November 2022, followed by 10 years of travel ban.

However, in October 2022, he was subjected to forced disappearance and cut off from contact with his family. The given reason for his disappearance is an investigation against him, followed by a retrial, for allegedly “committing and inciting others to commit a number of criminal offences within the prison.” His family has been denied further information about the basis of his retrial or the new location of his detention.

In prison, he has faced harassment, ill-treatment, and assault, and has undertaken several hunger strikes in protest of his mistreatment. On 07 January 2025, Mohammed Al-Qahtani was finally released from prison. However, he remains under a travel ban which prevents him from reuniting with his family who reside in the United States.