A retired teacher named Muhammad al-Ghamdi, aged 54, has been sentenced to death by a Saudi Arabian court for his activities on the social media platform Twitter (now referred to as X).
As per the report from Human Rights Watch, the verdict was issued on July 10, 2023. Al-Ghamdi had been held in pre-trial detention for one year, having been arrested in Mecca on June 11, 2022. During his detention, he was placed in solitary confinement, subjected to regular interrogations, and was denied access to legal representation. Human Rights Watch stated that al-Ghamdi had an opportunity to meet with a lawyer before the court proceedings.
The court found al-Ghamdi guilty on multiple charges, which included insulting the king and crown prince. The basis for his death sentence was traced back to his tweets, retweets, and activities on YouTube. It's notable that al-Ghamdi has a modest Twitter presence, with only eight followers, and he predominantly shares others' tweets rather than composing his own content.
Saeed bin Nasser al-Ghamdi, the brother of Mohammed al-Ghamdi, is an opposition leader living in exile in the United Kingdom. Saeed bin Nasir believes that his brother's prosecution is primarily motivated by their family connection.
Human Rights Watch reports that in recent years, the Saudi government has been targeting the family members of dissidents and exiled critics, presumably as a tactic to pressure them into returning to the country.
Human Rights Watch is calling upon the Saudi Arabian government to revoke the death sentence handed down to Muhammad al-Ghamdi. The organization underscores that his online expressions were peaceful and reflective of his personal thoughts, warranting a reconsideration of the extreme punishment.
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