Sheikh Saleh Abdelaziz AlDhamiri, 60 years old, died this past Friday after being denied a request for medical care. He had been held in solitary confinement for four years and was in need of a new mechanical pump for his heart. Prison officials rejected his request which led to his death this past Friday.
He was being held in Tarefeyya prison, located north of Riyadh. Prior to his arrest, AlDhamiri served as a liaison between families of detainees and the government, and also raised money for them.
Rights groups have reported multiple cases of torture and medical negligence in Saudi prisons, which frequently include political prisoners, religious clerics, and women’s rights activists.
The imprisonment and death of political prisoners such as AlDhamiri are becoming increasingly common in Saudi Arabia under the brutal crackdown led by Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman since 2017.
The European Centre for Democracy and Human Rights condemns the arrest of political activists and the suspension of medical impartiality in Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, it calls on the international community to hold the kingdom accountable for its numerous human rights abuses.