Freedom of Expression in Saudi Arabia: Condemned by its absence

Nik Williams

With all of his methods of appeal exhausted, the execution and crucifixion of Ali al-Nimr may happen any day.

While the recent set of lashing has been paused, blogger Raif Badawi remains in prison, the threat of the continuation of the physical torture is ever present.

After two years without trial, poet and critic, Hamza Kasgari has finally been freed from a prison near Jeddah.

These are harrowing stories, but they are only a tiny fragment of the human cost of Saudi Arabia’s persecution of writers, activists, journalists and opposition voices. Freedom of expression in the country is defined by its absence. Writers criticising the state and the royal family, questioning the role of political Islam or advocating for secular democracy and fundamental freedoms are met with both brutal punishments and limited methods of judicial recourse. As methods of engagement and communication have increased so has the state’s response. While Saudi Arabia’s score on Freedom House’s Freedom of the Press Index is 83 (0 = most free; 100 = least free), their Freedom on the Net score is eighth from bottom (73) after countries such as Iran and Syria.

However, this positioning has not left Saudi Arabia isolated from the global community. They currently sit on the United Nations Human Rights Council and are an important partner to Europe, Russia and the USA in their fight against Islamic extremism. This has allowed Saudi Arabia to exert pressure both domestically and internationally (most evident in their airstrikes in Yemen) without as much as a word from the international community. This silence has enabled the repression of journalists, writers, activists and opposition voices to flourish.

The pro-democracy protests that unseated Ben Ali in Tunisia and Mubarak in Egypt (destabilising Libya, Yemen and Bahrain) created a great deal of uncertainty and tension within the ruling elite in Saudi Arabia, where the right to protest is a deeply embattled and near non-existent right. The case of Ali al-Nimr highlights both the precariousness of Saudi Arabia’s tolerance for dissenting voices and their heavy-handed response to protest movements. Al-Nimr, at the age of 17, was arrested in a protest in 2012. A closed trial found him guilty of encouraging pro-democracy protests using his Blackberry. As a result he faces being beheaded and crucified. With every route of appeal exhausted, the only thing that now could save him is a royal pardon. There may be some hope as the UK Foreign Secretary, Philip Hammond stated that ‘private British diplomacy’ may save his life. However this is yet to be confirmed and Ali al-Nimr remains in solitary confinement, the final step before execution.

Journalism is not a crime and neither is blogging, but the story of Raif Badawi reminds us that words are enough for the state to get involved. Raif started the blog, Saudi Free Liberals Forum to discuss reform and his desire for a secular democracy to take root in Saudi Arabia. Such an ‘outrageous’ act as this, led to him being arrested and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment and 1000 lashes (increased after appeal). Meted out in instalments of 50 lashes, the punishment takes on the appearance and psychological impact of torture and, like al-Nimr, his methods of appeal are slowly running out.

They are not alone; in 2014 the Committee to Protect Journalists identified four journalists imprisoned for ‘anti-state’ charges and it is not only Saudi nationals who should be afraid. Saudi Arabia has also arrested journalists on their soil on behalf of foreign governments. In September of this year, the Sudanese journalist, Waleed al-Hussein al-Dood, who runs a website critical of the Sudanese government was held without charge in Saudi Arabia. The threats of deportation place him and his family in a precarious position, vulnerable to reprisal actions in Sudan.

These are stories presented in isolation, but each one threatens free speech in the country, intimidating activists and journalists, and allowing the state to limit and control the message that defines the country both nationally and globally. If we stand by and collude in the silence we are sending out a signal that writers can be silenced with impunity. In the words of Nicholas Kristof in the New York Times: “We do neither ourselves nor the Saudi people any favors when we wink at an ally that crucifies its people.”

For the countless writers and activists silenced by the tactics of the Saudi Arabian state, we need to stand up and take action. They are our colleagues and our peers. So please raise your voice for Raif Badawi, for Ali al-Nimr and for writers across Saudi Arabia, by taking action here.

International public pressure can work, Badawi’s lashes have repeatedly been delayed and questions are being put to our politicians everyday to pressure their Saudi counterparts to intervene. Online you can find the addresses to send letters to the Saudi Arabian embassy where you are, as well as a letter that can be sent to King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud asking for Raif Badawi to be freed.

To find out more about how you can take action, Lush Edinburgh are hosting Scottish PEN this Sunday (8 November 2015) for a fundraiser to help us take action on behalf of Raif Badawi, Ali al-Nimr, Hamza Kasgari and countless others. You can find out more about this event here.

We don’t yet know when the next 50 lashes will be announced for Raif Badawi nor do we know the fate of Ali al-Nimr. There is a lot we don’t know; but out of this uncertainty we can be sure that we will stand with writers both in Saudi Arabia and round the world for the right to express themselves, for the right to write.

Will you join us?

Nik Williams is a writer, activist and digital campaign strategist in the NGO sector. Find him on Twitter at @Nikwilliams2