Mohammed Al-Hazzaa
Mohammed Ahmad Eid Al-Hazzaa Al-Ghamdi, known professionally as Al-Hazzaa, is a Saudi cartoonist who has been imprisoned since February 2018 for his satirical work. Initially arrested during a violent raid on his home, he was sentenced to six years by the Specialised Criminal Court for producing cartoons viewed as offensive to the Saudi leadership and expressing sympathy for Qatar during the 2017–2021 diplomatic rift. In December 2023, just as he was close to being released, his case was secretly retried, resulting in an unappealable 23-year sentence. The charges included creating over 100 allegedly insulting drawings and posting content hostile to the Kingdom. Al-Hazzaa, who had stopped working with Qatari newspaper Lusail before being arrested, claims that his work was misrepresented and some evidence was faked. Currently held in Dhahban Central Prison in Jeddah, he has reportedly endured enforced disappearance, torture, and medical neglect. The increasing repression of artistic expression in Saudi Arabia can be seen in his case.
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Details
- Name Mohammed Al-Hazzaa
- Country : Saudi Arabia
- Gender Male
- Profession Cartoonist Violations
- Medical negligence
- Status Imprisoned
- Date of arrest(s) 13/02/2018
