The case of Mr. Fawzan Mohsen Awad Al Harbi, human rights defender and member of ACPRA was included in the 2014 report of the Secretary-General (A/HRC/27/38, para. 30) and addressed by special procedures mandate holders (SAU 1/2014) regarding travel restrictions and a request to sign a pledge to terminate ACPRA in connection to his cooperation with the UN. In December 2013, he was arrested and detained at Al Malaz prison in Riyadh and charged with, among other things, “co-founding an unlicensed organization” and “ignoring judicial decisions ordering its dissolution.” In June 2014, he was sentenced to one year in prison and an additional six-year suspended prison sentence. In November 2014, the Court of Appeal increased his sentence to a 10- year prison term followed by a travel ban of 10 years. On 30 July 2018, Mr. Al Harbi’s wife, Ms. Amal Al Harbi, was reportedly arrested. She had been vocal in campaigning for the release of her husband and is currently being held at Dhahban Prison pending the finalization of the trial.

118. The case of Mr. Fawzan Mohsen Awad Al Harbi, human rights defender and member of ACPRA, was included in the 2014 and 2019 reports of the Secretary-General on allegations of arrest and detention in connection to his cooperation with the UN (A/HRC/27/38, para. 30 and A/HRC/42/30, para. 74 and Annex II, para. 94). As of May 2020, he was serving a 10-year prison term at Al Malaz prison in Riyadh (to be followed by a travel ban of 10 years). The case of Mr. Al Harbi’s wife, Ms. Amal Al Harbi, was mentioned in the 2019 report of the Secretary-General (A/HRC/42/30, Annex II, para. 94). It was reported to OHCHR in May 2020 that she was released from Dhahban Prison in May 2019, having been arrested in July 2018 reportedly for campaigning for the release of her husband.

124. The case of Mr. Fawzan Mohsen Awad Al Harbi, human rights defender and member of Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association (ACPRA), was included in the 2020, 2019 and 2014 reports of the Secretary-General237 on allegations of arrest and detention for his cooperation with the UN. As of May 2020, he was serving a 10-year prison sentence at Al Malaz prison in Riyadh to be followed by a travel ban of 10 years. The case of Mr. Al Harbi’s wife, Ms. Amal Al Harbi, was included in the 2020 and 2019 report of the Secretary General.238 On 20 May 2021, special procedures mandate holders raised the case of Mr. Al Harbi and other human rights defenders expressing concerns about their alleged arbitrary detention and long prison sentencing as well as abuse and torture in connection to their work (SAU 6/2021).

131. The case of Mr. Fawzan Mohsen Awad Al-Harbi, a human rights defender and member of ACPRA was included in the 2014, 2019, 2020 and 2021 reports of the Secretary- General178 on allegations of arrest and detention for his cooperation with the UN. Special procedures mandate holders have addressed his situation repeatedly with the relevant authorities, including allegations of acts of reprisals for his cooperation with the UN.179
132. In May 2021, special procedure mandate holders followed up on Ms. Badawi’s and Mr. Essa Al-Nukhaifi’s detention, trial and charges against them and expressed concern over allegations of torture and ill treatment of Mr. Fowzan al-Harbi in detention, and over alleged breaches of fair trial standards during his trial. Mandate holders also raised concerns about “what seems to be a pattern of restrictions on space dissent and debate in Saudi Arabia whereby critical or dissenting opinions are characterized as terrorism (SAU 6/2021).” Reportedly, Mr. Al-Harbi undertook a hunger strike with other prisoners in March 2021 in protest over the poor conditions in prison and mandate holders. (SAU 6/2021). On 15 July 2021, the Government responded, providing information about the charges and convictions of Ms. Badawi, Mr. Al-Nukhaifi and Mr. Al-Harbi’s to 6, 10 and 7 years imprisonment with travel bans of the same duration, under article 6. (1) of the Cyber Crime Act.181 The Government confirmed the release of Ms. Badawi on 25 June 2021.
133. On 30 November 2021, special procedure mandate holders addressed allegations of the arbitrary detention and acts of intimidation and reprisals for cooperation with the UN against Mr. Mohammed Al-Qahtani, Mr. Fowzan Al-Harbi and Mr. Essa Al-Nukhaifi and expressed concern for allegations of mistreatment and about “what appears to be a pattern of widespread and systematic arbitrary arrest and detention of persons including human rights defenders” (SAU 13/2021). Reportedly, on 15 August 2021, Mr. Mohammed Al-Qahtani initiated a hunger strike in protest against alleged ill treatment by Al-Ha’ir prison administration, and was joined by Mr. Al-Harbi, Mr. Al-Nukhaifi and other detainees.
134. On 20 January 2022, the Government responded, providing information about Mr. Al Qahtani’s sentence for national security offences, denying a hunger strike in August reaffirming no restriction on family visits for Mr. Al-Qahtani, Mr. Fowzan and Mr. Al- Nukhaifi. It further confirmed they had received the necessary medical care and provided as well as information on the COVID-19 Protocol followed with Mr. Al Qahtani.182
135. Regarding Mr. al-Harbi, the Government informed that he was convicted of committing several offences with a view to undermining public order, as well as committing offences punishable under the Countering Cybercrime Act. He was sentenced to a term of 10 years imprisonment and handed a travel ban of similar length that went into effect after the end of the prison sentence. Concerning Mr. Nakhifi, the Government informed that he was convicted of committing several offences that undermine national security, as well as committing offences punishable under the Countering Cybercrime Act. He was sentenced to a term of 6 years imprisonment and handed a travel ban of similar length that went into effect after the end of the prison sentence.

134. The case of Mr. Fawzan Mohsen Awad Al-Harbi, a human rights defender and member of ACPRA was included in the 2014, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 reports of the Secretary-General,165 on allegations of arrest and detention for his cooperation with the UN. Special procedures mandate holders have addressed his situation repeatedly with the relevant authorities, including allegations of acts of reprisals for his cooperation with the UN. 166 According to information received by OHCHR, his sentence of a 10-year prison term is due to expire in September 2023.