human rights defender
Fatima Al-Shawarbi
HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER
Urgent support needed
Fatima Al-Shawarbi is experiencing a severe decline in both her physical and mental health while in prison.
HRD's Gender
Woman
Type of HRD
- Journalist/Blogger
HRD's thematic area of engagement
- Civil and political rights
- Women's rights
Current Status
In prison (sentenced)
HRD's bio and work
Fatima Al-Shawarbi is a Saudi human rights defender who was arrested after publishing a series of tweets advocating for prisoners' rights and criticizing the growing arrests of citizens for peacefully expressing their opinions.
Detained since
Sep 1, 2020
Charge(s)
- Other
Sentence
30 years
Allegations / reports of ill-treatment
During her detention, Al-Shawarbi endured severe psychological and physical abuse by jailers and security personnel. Her health deteriorated significantly, yet the prison administration consistently denied her access to a hospital or a prison doctor. Al-Shawarbi joined other female Saudi detainees in a hunger strike to protest their harsh sentences and mistreatment in prison. Despite their efforts, the authorities ignored their demands, leaving Al-Shawarbi's health critically endangered by prolonged abstinence from food and water. As her condition deteriorated and her pleas for help went unanswered, she was ultimately forced to end the strike
Latitude: 26.33716
Longitude: 49.95834
Geolocation of detention
Country or area of detention
Region of detention
- Asia: Western Asia
Location of detention - City/Town
Dammam
Location of detention - Facility
Al-Mabaheth
Recent case update / evolution
In May 2023, the Specialised Criminal Court of Appeal issued a 30-year and 6-month prison sentence against Fatima Al-Shawarbi, and banned her from traveling for a similar period after completing her sentence. She was found guilty of using an anonymous Twitter account in order to defend prisoners of conscience and women’s rights as well as highlight unemployment. Al-Shawarbi's trial was held in secret, and therefore little is known about her case and the exact charges that were brought against her.
Any other relevant documents
Attachments
Documented by
- Country(ies) of nationality
- HRD's Gender
- Woman
- Type of HRD
- Journalist/Blogger
- HRD's thematic area of engagement
- Civil and political rights
- Women's rights
- HRD's Picture
- HRD's bio and work
Fatima Al-Shawarbi is a Saudi human rights defender who was arrested after publishing a series of tweets advocating for prisoners' rights and criticizing the growing arrests of citizens for peacefully expressing their opinions.
- Country or area of detention
- Region of detention
- Asia: Western Asia
- Location of detention - City/Town
- Dammam
- Location of detention - Facility
- Al-Mabaheth
- Geolocation of detention
Latitude: 26.33716
Longitude: 49.95834
- Geolocation of detention
- Detained since
- Sep 1, 2020
- Current Status
- In prison (sentenced)
- Charge(s)
- Other
- Sentence
30 years
- Recent case update / evolution
In May 2023, the Specialised Criminal Court of Appeal issued a 30-year and 6-month prison sentence against Fatima Al-Shawarbi, and banned her from traveling for a similar period after completing her sentence. She was found guilty of using an anonymous Twitter account in order to defend prisoners of conscience and women’s rights as well as highlight unemployment. Al-Shawarbi's trial was held in secret, and therefore little is known about her case and the exact charges that were brought against her.
- Allegations / reports of ill-treatment
During her detention, Al-Shawarbi endured severe psychological and physical abuse by jailers and security personnel. Her health deteriorated significantly, yet the prison administration consistently denied her access to a hospital or a prison doctor. Al-Shawarbi joined other female Saudi detainees in a hunger strike to protest their harsh sentences and mistreatment in prison. Despite their efforts, the authorities ignored their demands, leaving Al-Shawarbi's health critically endangered by prolonged abstinence from food and water. As her condition deteriorated and her pleas for help went unanswered, she was ultimately forced to end the strike
- Urgent support needed
Fatima Al-Shawarbi is experiencing a severe decline in both her physical and mental health while in prison.
- Documented by
- Consent status
- Consent to register, store and publish the information
sorted by
Date added
3 relationships, 2 entities