Abdulla Madhi Al-Attawi

Abdulla Madhi Al-Attawi is a Saudi human rights defender and co-founder of the Union for Human Rights who was arrested in September 2017 for his peaceful activism and, following a trial before the Specialized Criminal Court in January 2018, was sentenced to seven years in prison on politically motivated charges including forming an unlicensed organisation and endangering national unity. The sentencing coincided with that of his colleague Mohammed Al-Otaibi who received a 14-year term. Despite completing his sentence in September 2024, Al-Attawi remains arbitrarily detained in violation of domestic and international law. His continued imprisonment involves serious violations such as denial of legal counsel, lack of medical care, restricted communication with family and ongoing ill-treatment.