Imagine how many people in India would be behind bars if criticizing the government landed you in jail. In a recent example from Saudi Arabia, a retired teacher, Mohammed al-Ghamdi, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for doing just that—expressing his opinions online.
His case highlights the growing crackdown on dissent in the kingdom, where even a few critical social media posts can lead to life-altering consequences. Ghamdi’s sentence, which followed the overturning of a death penalty, has sparked global attention and raised questions about the cost of free speech in some parts of the world.
In a September 2023 interview with Fox News, Prince Mohammed expressed regret over Ghamdi’s initial death sentence and expressed hope for a more favorable outcome. Ghamdi had been sentenced to death by the Specialised Criminal Court in July 2023 after his arrest in June 2022, with charges that included conspiracy against the Saudi leadership and supporting terrorist ideology, based on his social media posts that advocated for “prisoners of conscience,” including jailed clerics Salman al-Awda and Awad al-Qarni. Despite having only nine followers on his social media account, Ghamdi’s critical remarks against the government led to serious legal repercussions.
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His brother, Saeed al-Ghamdi, an Islamic scholar residing in Britain, described the shifting judgments as indicative of the politicized nature of Saudi Arabia’s judicial system. He stated on social media that his brother was unjustly arrested and condemned the harsh penalties imposed for expressing dissent.
In a troubling parallel, Saeed also reported that another brother, Asaad al-Ghamdi, received a 20-year sentence for similar criticisms online. There has been no indication yet whether Asaad’s sentence will be reviewed.
While Crown Prince Mohammed aims to modernize Saudi Arabia through the Vision 2030 initiative, which seeks to transform the kingdom into a global hub for tourism and business, the ongoing crackdowns on free speech and human rights violations continue to attract international scrutiny.
