Relatives of Saudi individuals who have received severe sentences for their social media posts are urging the de facto ruler of the kingdom to take action following his expressed regret over their cases.
In a rare interview with Fox News, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman voiced his concerns about the case of Mohammed al-Ghamdi, a retired school teacher who was sentenced to death in July for posts on a social media platform, formerly known as Twitter, where he had only around 10 followers.
Prince Mohammed acknowledged that the details of the case reported in the media were "true" and expressed his disapproval of the verdict. He stated that they were "not happy with that" and "ashamed of that," attributing it to "bad laws" that he had been unable to change thus far. He also suggested that Ghamdi might be spared from the death penalty in the future.
These comments have raised concerns among human rights activists who have criticized repression in Saudi Arabia since Prince Mohammed's ascent to the throne, which they argue is aimed at silencing government criticism.
Ghamdi's brother, Saeed al-Ghamdi, a government critic based in the United Kingdom, believes that Prince Mohammed could alter the laws and influence the outcomes of individual cases if he chose to do so.
Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy with no elected parliament and no political opposition allowed. Judges are appointed by royal orders.
Ghamdi was tried under a counterterrorism law passed in 2017, the same year Prince Mohammed became crown prince. Human Rights Watch criticized the law at the time for its "vague definition of terrorism" that could allow authorities to target peaceful criticism.
Activists argue that the counterterrorism law was implemented during Prince Mohammed's time as crown prince, and therefore, his claim that Ghamdi's sentence resulted from old, unchanged laws is not accurate.
The specific allegations against Mohammed al-Ghamdi centered on posts criticizing the government and expressing support for jailed religious clerics, some of whom also face the death penalty.
Critics like Abdullah Alaoudh, the son of one of the jailed religious clerics, view Prince Mohammed's expressions of shame as insincere and aimed at improving his image.
Relatives of those imprisoned for social media posts are calling on Prince Mohammed to use his power to reverse such sentences, emphasizing that a single signature could release these individuals.
The use of harsh sentences for online posts has drawn global attention and raised concerns about Saudi Arabia's human rights record. Prince Mohammed aims to transform the country under his Vision 2030 reform agenda, which includes economic diversification and global engagement. However, the frequent use of the death penalty has been a significant obstacle to these efforts.
During the interview, Prince Mohammed indicated that he was working to change laws, but the process was slowed by a shortage of government lawyers.
Rights activists like Lina al-Hathloul emphasize the need for transparency in how existing laws are applied, as closed-door proceedings raise doubts about the government's readiness to address the situation effectively.
