The right to protest and freedom of speech are highly restricted in Saudi Arabia. The government penalizes those who express dissenting opinions, especially online. An example is the blogger Raif Badawi, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes for establishing an online forum for political discussion. Although he was released in 2022, he is subject to a travel ban, which has hindered his ability to reconcile with his family. The women also face severe punishment for standing up for their rights. Salma al-Shehab, a student at Leeds University, was given 27 years of imprisonment for expressing support for women’s rights on Twitter. Another, Manahel al-Otaibi, was given an 11-year prison sentence for posting pictures of herself not wearing the abaya, which is a traditional robe. Protesting is not allowed, and anyone who tries to do so is arrested and prosecuted. The government uses vague laws to repress peaceful assembly and expression, and the country is therefore perceived to have a climate of repression and fear. The moves identify Saudi Arabia’s continuing suppression of fundamental human rights, specifically the freedom of speech and protest.
Pray for the Saudi regime to be more tolerant of the voice of the dissenters. Pray for the immediate and unconditional release of all the imprisoned rights defenders in Saudi Arabia. Pray for more freedom of peaceful assembly and expression in the country (The Holy Bible, Psalm 70:5).
Pray for the end of the oppression in Saudi Arabia. Pray for the Saudi government to uphold international human rights laws and allow all its citizens to exercise their full rights and freedoms in their homeland (The Holy Bible, Proverbs 31:8-9).
News Source: Amnesty International
Image Source: Canva
