URGENT ACTION

FREE SAUDI RIGHTS ACTIVIST NASSIMA AL-SADA
In March 2021, the Court of Appeals in Riyadh upheld the verdict of Saudi Arabian woman human rights defender Nassima al-Sada, confirming the final sentence of a five-year prison term followed by a five-year travel ban. Nassima al-Sada had appealed the sentence handed down to her on 25 November 2020, which was based on cybercrime laws but failed to specify the exact crimes allegedly committed by the activist. Nassima al-Sada is detained simply for her peaceful activism for civil and political rights, and for her advocacy for women’s rights and the end of the repressive male guardianship system.

TAKE ACTION: WRITE AN APPEAL IN YOUR OWN WORDS OR USE THIS MODEL LETTER

His Majesty King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud
Office of His Majesty the King
Royal Court, Riyadh
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Fax: +966 11 403 3125 (please keep trying)
Twitter: @KingSalman

Your Majesty,

In March 2021, the Court of Appeals in Riyadh upheld the sentence of Saudi woman human rights defender Nassima al-Sada, signalling that the verdict is now final and leaving her without any further recourse to justice. The verdict had been issued by the Criminal Court in Riyadh on 25 November 2020 and consisted of a five-year prison term – partially suspended by two years – to be followed by a travel ban of five years. This verdict followed a trial that was marred by serious violations of her due process rights, including prolonged solitary confinement which could amount to torture.

Indeed, Nassima al-Sada’s ordeal started in July 2018, when she was arbitrarily arrested and then detained without charge or trial for almost a year. After a year, she was charged with unspecified crimes based on the cybercrime law, making it clear that she is being prosecuted simply for her peaceful human rights activities, namely advocating for civil and political rights and for the right of women to drive, before the driving ban was lifted in June 2018.

Nassima al-Sada is a brave Saudi woman who has dedicated her life to advocating for peaceful change and is being made to pay with the pain of family separation, isolation, and continuous violations of her rights, for her peaceful activities. She should never have been locked up in the first place – her place is with her family, her three children, her ailing husband, more than ever, during the Holy Month of Ramadan.
I urge you to ensure that Nassima al-Sada is immediately and unconditionally released, and her conviction and sentence are quashed, as she was detained and tried solely for peacefully advocating for equality for women. I also urge you to respect Nassima al-Sada’s right to movement by lifting the travel ban imposed on her for the coming five years.
Yours sincerely,

Additional information

Nassima al-Sada is an activist, human rights educator and mother of three who has campaigned for civil and political rights, women’s rights and the rights of the Shi’a minority in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia for many years. She stood in municipal elections in 2015 but was banned from participating. She has also campaigned for the right of women to drive and for the end of male guardianship system.
Nassima al-Sada was detained without charge or trial from July 2018 until June 2019 when she appeared for her first court session. She was also placed in solitary confinement from February 2019 until the beginning 2020. After months of delays and prolonged detention without trial, and due to mounting international pressure, Saudi authorities resumed trials of detained women activists, including Nassima al-Sada, on 25 November 2020.
The Saudi Arabian authorities continue to arbitrarily detain without charges and try individuals for their peaceful expression and human rights work. Amongst those are: Mohammed al-Bajadi, founding member of the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association (ACPRA) and A prominent human rights defender who has been detained without charges or trial since May 2018; and Salman al-Awda, a reformist cleric who faces a death sentence for the peaceful expression of his views.

PREFERRED LANGUAGE TO ADDRESS TARGET: English, Arabic
You can also write in your own language.

PLEASE TAKE ACTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE UNTIL: 9 JUNE 2020 
Please check with the Amnesty office in your country if you wish to send appeals after the deadline.

NAME AND PREFFERED PRONOUN: Nassima al-Sada (she/her)

LINK TO PREVIOUS UA: https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/mde23/9874/2019/en/

And copies to:

HIS EXCELLENCY HRH Prince Khalid Bin Bandar Bin Sultan Al-Saud  
Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia
30 Charles Street, Mayfair W1J 5DZ.
020 7917 3000