Waleed Abu AlKhair is the founder of Monitor for Human Rights, which he established in 2008 as one of only a few human rights organisations in Saudi Arabia. In late 2011, Abu AlKhair first faced trial after signing a statement criticising the authorities’ persecution of 16 reformists.
On October 6, 2013, Abu AlKhair was brought before the SCC, where he was charged with “breaking allegiance to and disobeying the ruler”; “setting up an unlicensed organisation”, and “participating in establishing another organisation (ACPRA)”. On October 29, 2013, the Criminal Court in Jeddah sentenced him to three months’ imprisonment, a sentence which was upheld on February 6, 2014 by the Court of Appeal in Mecca.
On April 15, 2014, Abu AlKhair was arrested after appearing at the fifth hearing of his trial before the SCC in Riyadh. He was then taken to Al Ha’ir prison in Riyadh, where he was placed in solitary confinement and ill-treated.
On July 6, 2014, the SCC sentenced Abu AlKhair to 15 years of imprisonment and to a 200,000 Saudi Riyals (≈ 53,300 USD) fine. On January 12, 2015, his sentence was upheld on appeal.
Abu AlKhair has been detained at Dhahban Prison, Jeddah, since 2015/2016. During this time, he has undertaken two hunger strikes in protest of ill-treatment. In 2016, Abu AlKhair went on hunger strike for the restoration of his right to appropriate food, medical check-ups and reading material. On November 29, 2019, Abu AlKhair began a second hunger strike after being transferred to the high security unit of Dhahban Prison on November 26. The transfer renders Abu AlKhair incommunicado and increases the risk of torture and ill-treatment.
