According to a media tally, more than 30 dissidents—many jailed for social media posts—have been released since December in what appears to be a reversal of the “bad laws” criticized by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the country’s de facto ruler. A source close to the government told media that some judges had issued excessive sentences in an attempt to appease the authorities. “The crown prince did not ask for that and is not pleased with it,” the source said.
Last year, Saudi teacher Asaad al-Ghamdi was sentenced to 20 years in prison for criticizing the government online, one of many harsh sentences that drew global condemnation. However, last month, he was unexpectedly released, joining dozens of political prisoners freed as Saudi authorities attempt to improve their international image.
Saudi Arabia’s Specialised Criminal Court, which handles terrorism-related cases, has handed down multi-decade sentences even to individuals with small online followings. However, while some prisoners have been released, many dissidents remain behind bars. Analysts believe these recent releases are aimed at softening Saudi Arabia’s reputation abroad rather than signaling systemic reform.
Among those caught in the crackdown was Salma al-Shehab, a University of Leeds PhD student and mother of two, who was sentenced to 34 years in prison in 2022. This was later reduced to four years, and she was released last month. Nourah al-Qahtani, a mother of five, initially received a six-and-a-half-year sentence, which was later increased to 45 years in 2022. Meanwhile, fitness blogger Manahel al-Otaibi was sentenced to 11 years in January 2024 for challenging male guardianship laws and advocating against the mandatory abaya robe.
These harsh punishments have clashed with Saudi Arabia’s efforts to rebrand itself as a business and tourism hub. The tide appeared to shift after Ghamdi’s brother, Mohammed al-ghandi, a retired teacher who had criticized the government online, was sentenced to death in 2023. Prince Mohammed later told Fox News he was “ashamed” of the ruling and vowed to reform certain “bad laws.” That same year, he established a committee to review political cases, acknowledging that some individuals had been treated with “severe injustice.”
In August 2023, Mohammed al-Ghamdi’s death sentence was overturned, though he was resentenced to 30 years in prison. Other recent releases include Mohammed al-Qahtani, a rights activist freed in January—two years after his 10-year sentence expired—and Malik al-Ahmed and Mohammed al-Habdan, both arrested in a widespread crackdown in 2017.
Saudi Arabia gained worldwide notoriety following the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. A UN investigation accused Saudi authorities of orchestrating the killing, while US intelligence agencies alleged that Prince Mohammed approved the operation—claims Saudi Arabia denied, blaming rogue operatives instead.
Despite past controversies, Saudi Arabia has continued to strengthen its global ties, hosting Western leaders and negotiating key diplomatic agreements. Umar Karim, a Saudi expert at the University of Birmingham, believes the government now sees an opportunity to improve its human rights image, especially as the kingdom solidifies its influence in global politics.
Releasing prisoners may help “generate goodwill” following diplomatic efforts such as restoring ties with Iran and hosting talks between the US, Russia, and Ukraine. However, many high-profile detainees, including clerics Salman al-Awdah and Awad al-Qarni, both arrested in 2017, remain imprisoned.
Abdullah Alaoudh, son of Salman al-Awdah and head of the Washington-based Middle East Democracy Center, welcomed the recent releases but called on Saudi Arabia to end “arbitrary detentions” and permanently halt the imprisonment of political dissidents.
