{"id":15834,"date":"2026-05-20T15:15:25","date_gmt":"2026-05-20T13:15:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.esohr.org\/?p=15834"},"modified":"2026-05-20T17:54:51","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T15:54:51","slug":"%d8%b9%d9%84%d9%89-%d9%88%d9%82%d8%b9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%aa%d9%88%d8%aa%d8%b1-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a5%d9%82%d9%84%d9%8a%d9%85%d9%8a-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b3%d8%b9%d9%88%d8%af%d9%8a%d8%a9-%d8%aa%d8%b5%d8%b9%d9%91","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.esohr.org\/en\/%d8%b9%d9%84%d9%89-%d9%88%d9%82%d8%b9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%aa%d9%88%d8%aa%d8%b1-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a5%d9%82%d9%84%d9%8a%d9%85%d9%8a-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b3%d8%b9%d9%88%d8%af%d9%8a%d8%a9-%d8%aa%d8%b5%d8%b9%d9%91\/","title":{"rendered":"Against the Backdrop of Regional Tensions: Saudi Arabia Escalates Restrictions on Shi\u2019a Citizens"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n

Despite policies of intimidation, the silencing of civil society and human rights defenders, destrictions on the flow of information from within the country under an entrenched system of repression and intimidation, the European Saudi Organization for Human Rights has documented dozens of arrests since the beginning of the war in March 2026. \u0631\u0635\u062f\u062a<\/a> while restrictions have also affected social activists using platforms such as TikTok and Snapchat on allegations of engaging in media activity \u201cwithout a licence.\u201d At the same time, available information indicates the return of security checkpoints to the streets of Qatif, with both permanent and temporary checkpoints documented across several roads and key routes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, ESOHR documented the arrest of at least eight religious clerics from the Eastern Province, including, among others, Sayyid Hassan Al-Yousef, Sheikh Abduljalil Al-Sameen, Sheikh Hassan Al-Haddad, Sheikh Hussein Al-Nashmi, Sheikh Sami Al-Ibrahim, and Sayyid Mohammed Baqir Al-Nasser. According to available information, none are known to have engaged in political activities. The only apparent common factor is their religious orientation, which Saudi authorities reportedly perceive as close to or influenced by the Iranian religious school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to available information, and consistent with a recurring pattern in Saudi Arabia characterised by opacity and lack of transparency, detainees and their families were not informed of the reasons for arrest or the charges against them. They have also reportedly been denied contact with family members and legal counsel, constituting a violation of their fundamental rights and undermining their right to a fair trial and due process guarantees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The failure to inform detainees of the reasons for their arrest, denying them access to family members and lawyers, and the absence of information regarding their legal status constitute violations of the rights to liberty and security of person and fair trial guarantees under international human rights law, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Arab Charter on Human Rights. These practices further raise concerns regarding arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Recurring Pattern<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ESOHR notes that this is not the first time regional disputes involving Saudi Arabia have had repercussions domestically. \u0627\u0644\u062a\u062c\u0633\u0633 \u0644\u0635\u0627\u0644\u062d \u0625\u064a\u0631\u0627\u0646<\/a>In 2013, following political tensions with Iran, Saudi authorities arrested 32 individuals on charges of espionage for Iran. The Specialized Criminal Court subsequently imposed death sentences on 15 of them, which were later carried out following proceedings that failed to meet fair trial standards. Those executed included religious figures such as Sheikh Mohammed Atiyah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The targeting of religious clerics on the basis of religious affiliation or religious reference raises serious concerns regarding violations of the rights to freedom of religion or belief and non-discrimination, protected under international human rights law, including Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A similar pattern emerged again in September 2017 during the Gulf crisis with Qatar, when authorities launched a broad arrest campaign targeting preachers, academics, writers, journalists, clerics, and business figures, including Salman Al-Odah, Awad Al-Qarni, Hassan Farhan Al-Maliki, Essam Al-Zamel, and Abdullah Al-Maliki.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ESOHR has previously documented a gradual shift in the use of security-related charges, moving from espionage allegations in earlier years toward the use of charges such as treason against individuals based on relations with other states.In October 2024, Saudi Arabia executed journalist Turki Al-Jasser on charges of treason, amid information indicating that the case was linked to his views or positions concerning a state previously involved in disputes with Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These precedents demonstrate that Saudi authorities have repeatedly used periods of regional escalation to expand the powers of security agencies and criminalise social, religious, or media-related links as threats to national security, in addition to increasing restrictions on religious freedoms, which appear more pronounced during periods of heightened security tensions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ESOHR notes that, in the context of policies aimed at imposing silence and restricting civic space, documenting all arrests and summonses remains difficult. Nevertheless, the recurring pattern observed amid the current security environment, coupled with increasing violations across Gulf states, raises serious concerns that regional tensions are being used as a pretext to expand internal repression and further tighten security measures.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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