According to Human Rights Watch and the man's family, Saudi Arabia has sentenced a teacher to 20 years in prison for his critical social media writings.
The verdict was announced on Tuesday. According to HRW, 47-year-old Asaad al-Ghamdi was taken into custody during an at night raid on his residence in the Saudi city of Jeddah in November 2022.
The New York-based rights group said that he was found guilty on May 29 by Saudi Arabia's Specialized Criminal Court, which was founded in 2008 to try suspects charged with terrorism.
He received a sentence "to 20 years in prison on charges related to his peaceful social media activity" , according to HRW, describing it as "yet another escalation in the country's ever-worsening crackdown on freedom of expression" .
The verdict was announced on Tuesday. According to HRW, 47-year-old Asaad al-Ghamdi was taken into custody during an at night raid on his residence in the Saudi city of Jeddah in November 2022.
The New York-based rights group said that he was found guilty on May 29 by Saudi Arabia's Specialized Criminal Court, which was founded in 2008 to try suspects charged with terrorism.
He received a sentence "to 20 years in prison on charges related to his peaceful social media activity" , according to HRW, describing it as "yet another escalation in the country's ever-worsening crackdown on freedom of expression" .