Rakan Al-Asiri is a Saudi media activist and human rights defender known for his peaceful online commentary and public expression of opinion on social and political issues, including criticism of normalisation with the Israeli occupation and advocacy for broader civic discussion. Al-Asiri was arbitrarily arrested by Saudi authorities in April 2020 without legal justification in the context of a wider campaign targeting activists and critics of government policies, and he has since been held in detention without charge, without a fair trial and without transparent legal proceedings, a situation in violation of internationally recognised due process and freedom of expression standards. During his prolonged detention, the authorities reportedly prevented him from contacting his family for extended periods and subjected him to restrictions that violate basic detainee rights. He was even coerced into appearing on a state television programme intended to present a positive image of Saudi prisons, an action widely condemned by human rights monitors as manipulative and indicative of coercion. As of 2026, Al-Asiri remains imprisoned with no official release order or fair trial in sight.