• Press Releases
  • Saudi Arabia

Letter protesting the ongoing incarceration of Professor Awad al-Qarni

Our letter to Saudi authorities protesting the ongoing incarceration of Prof. Awad al-Qarni, the well-known reformist cleric and legal scholar, as well as Dr. Salman al-Audah, Ali al-Omari and Hassan al-Maliki, and calling for their immediate release. We oppose, as well, the prosecutor's request that Prof. al-Qarni be sentenced to death.

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Letter regarding the termination and deportation of Yemeni scholars in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Letter to Saudi authorities expressing concern about the reported dismissals of Yemeni scholars, physicians and other professionals from their positions at universities in the southern provinces of al-Baha, Asir, Jazan and Najran.

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Hatoon al-Fassi and other women’s rights activists released from prison temporarily

MESA is very pleased to report that Dr. Hatoon al-Fassi was released from prison in Saudi Arabia on May 2, 2019, and has been allowed to return home to her family. Dr. al-Fassi is a renowned historian of women in pre-Islamic Arabia, a prominent advocate for women's rights, and a long-time member of MESA. She was the recipient in November 2018, in absentia, of the MESA Academic Freedom Award, the highest recognition MESA can bestow in acknowledgement of contributions to academic freedom. Dr. al-Fassi's release has been characterized as "temporary;" we continue to call for her full exoneration. We call, as well, for the release of the other women's rights advocates who remain in detention.

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  • News

More than 200 sign letter supporting Hatoon al-Fassi

More than 200 scholars and personalities from around the world have signed a letter written to the king and crown prince of Saudi Arabia on behalf of renowned Saudi scholar, writer and women’s rights advocate Hatoon al-Fassi. She has been detained and held in solitary confinement in the kingdom since June 21, 2018. The letter calls upon the Saudi government to release Dr. al-Fassi and to allow her to continue her important work. MESA's Committee on Academic Freedom wrote a letter to protest her arrest (dated 3 July 2018) and MESA awarded Dr. al-Fassi the 2018 Academic Freedom Award.

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Interruption of Study for King Faisal University Medical Students for Inciting Hatred toward Bahraini Government

Letter to King Faisal University President and College of Medicine Dean, Bahrain Minister of Higher Education, and Saudi Minister of Higher Education regarding the sustained interruption of study for four medical students at King Faisal University in Dammam, Saudi Arabia.

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Further detentions of Saudi human rights group members and relatives

Letter to the Saudi Arabian Government expressing continued concern over treatment of members of the Committee for the Defense of Legitimate Rights as further academics with ties to this group have been arrested without criminal charges and are being held without visit or access to council. Additionally relatives of group members are now being targeted despite having no ties to the group solely as a means of pressuring activists to cease activities. (See 5/5/1994; 22/6/1993)

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Repressive measure intensified against members of human rights group

Letter to the Saudi Arabian government regarding further measures taken against members of the Committee for the Defense of Legitimate Rights after the dissolution of the group including dismissals from university posts, travel bans, imprisonment and reports of death threat and torture forcing many group members to flee the country. (See 22/6/1993)

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Arrest and dismissals for founders of the Committee for the Defense of Legitimate Rights

Letter to His Royal Majesty of Saudi Arabia concerning the reported arrest of Dr. Muhammad ibn Abdullah al-Mas’ari and dismissals of Dr. Abdullah ibn Humoud al-Tuwaijri and Dr. Abdullah al-Hamed for membership in the Committee for the Defense of Legitimate Rights.

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Dismissal of female professors who participated in 6 November demonstration

Letter to His Royal Majesty of Saudi Arabia regarding reports that six female professors of the University of Riyadh were dismissed for participating in demonstration protesting restraints on driving for women. If true, this dismissal is a serious breach of human rights and academic freedom as the right to participate in a non-violent protest is protected under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

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