Mohammad Al-Rabea is a Saudi national writer and human rights defender. He was arrested on 15 May 2018 during a wave of arrests targeting activists advocating for women’s rights, including the right to drive and the abolition of the male guardianship system. Al‑Rabea, a youth activist who started a literary salon for young men and women in Riyadh, had previously been subjected to harassment and threats due to his activism. Following his arrest, he was subjected to months of brutal torture in detention, including electric shocks, waterboarding, beatings, and prolonged periods of solitary confinement. He was held in small spaces without sleep or rest for days at a time and was deprived of meals during his first year of detention. In April 2021, Al‑Rabea was sentenced to six years in prison, which was later reduced to four years and six months on appeal. In December 2022, despite completing his sentence, he was retried and sentenced to 17 years in prison.