In late May 2021, officials from the Saudi Presidency of State Security raided al-Sharif’s family house in Riyadh, arrested al-Sharif and then took her to an unknown location. Prior to her arrest, al-Sharif had been active on social media, discussing Saudi politics and advocating for human rights in the kingdom.
In Saudi Arabia, the practice of enforced disappearances is used systematically against those exercising their right to free speech and other fundamental and unalienable rights within the kingdom. In most circumstances, enforced disappearances lasts for extended periods of time, raising concerns for the fate of the victims. In May 2020, the UN WGEID sent a general allegation letter to the Saudi authorities. Enforced disappearances is described as “pervasive and deliberate”, and “embedded in the institutional and policy framework of Saudi Arabia.”
On July 9, 2021, MENA Rights Group sent an urgent action appeal to the UN WGEID, calling upon the Saudi authorities to disclose the location of Lina al-Sharif and to reveal the conditions and reasons behind her arrest and detention, or at the very least to bring her under the protection of the law. MENA Rights Group, further calls upon the Saudi authorities to immediately and unconditionally release all those arbitrarily arrested for exercising their fundamental rights.
On September 21, 2021, the Saudi authorities responded to the UN WGEID’s request for clarification. The Saudi authorities informed the Working Group that al-Sharif was detained in accordance with article 2 and 19 of the Law on Combatting Terrorism Crimes and its Financing. However, the government provided no further information on any charges being brought against her. Despite the Saudi authorities providing information on various dates in which al-Sharif was allowed to receive visits, including a few days after her arrest, we maintain that al-Sharif was kept in incommunicado detention, with her whereabouts unknown, for at least two months after her arrest, until July 26, 2021.
On May 19, 2025, al-Sharif was released.
