Joint Statement: Civil Society Demands Action Ahead of Internet Governance Forum – Human Rights Watch

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We, the undersigned human rights organizations, urge the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to release people imprisoned for their online expression and foster transparency and accountability, ahead of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) 2024 hosted in Riyadh between December 15 and 19.
Over two months ago, on September 6, 2024, more than 40 civil society organizations called on Saudi Arabia to immediately release all people arbitrarily imprisoned for their online speech. However, these demands have not been met yet. As the IGF approaches, the systematic digital repression in Saudi Arabia — this year’s host country — stands in stark contradiction to the forum’s principle of fostering inclusive digital spaces and its consistent support for human rights. The Saudi government continues to escalate its crackdown on freedom of expression, targeting human rights defenders, women’s rights activists, and journalists, with some receiving lengthy prison sentences of up to 45 years for expressing dissent online. Authorities have also abused surveillance tools, including the infamous Pegasus spyware, to monitor and target critics and dissidents both within and beyond Saudi borders, exemplifying the Kingdom’s extensive transnational repression.
The record breaking number of executions in Saudi Arabia this year reflects a deepening human rights crisis. The execution of over 300 people, including more than 100 foreign nationals, underscores the kingdom’s disregard for due process and fundamental freedoms.
Saudi authorities routinely engage in arbitrary arrests, unfair trials, and severe sentences targeting those who exercise their right to free expression online. The case of Mohammad bin Nasser al-Ghamdi and his brothers demonstrates how state repression creates a chilling effect, deterring others from exercising their right to free expression. Initially sentenced to death for critical posts on his X and YouTube handles with an audience of just 10 followers, Nasser’s sentence was commuted on September 24, 2024 to 30 years in prison. While the commutation is important, his lengthy arbitrary detention continues to constitute a grave injustice that highlights the severe crackdown on freedom of expression. The following emblematic cases further highlight the extent of repression in the country:
These cases are part of the Saudi government’s broader strategy to suppress dissent and control online narratives. Such repression of fundamental human rights inherently contradicts the IGF’s mission to promote open discussion on human rights and inclusivity in the digital age. Additionally, Saudi Arabia is courting Big Tech investments under the pretense of “creating a vibrant society” under the country’s Vision 2030, while simultaneously silencing those opposing it, as in the case of Asaad al-Ghamdi, a Saudi teacher, who was sentenced to prison for criticizing the vision of the Saudi Crown Prince. This also raises significant alarm about tech companies’ complicity in human rights violations in the country. Companies like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon continue to partner with the Saudi government, despite the lack of safeguards to mitigate risks in a country notorious for systematic repression and lack of judicial oversight.
Meanwhile, fears of surveillance, harassment, and reprisals deter meaningful participation by civil society at this year’s IGF. The lack of safety guarantees for participants diminishes the IGF’s role as a vital multi-stakeholder space where civil society plays an indispensable role in tech policy discussions.
In a couple of days, Saudi Arabia is poised to lead discussions on the future of digital governance while simultaneously silencing critical voices, online and offline. Unless urgent steps are taken to address these violations, the IGF risks becoming a platform for legitimizing repression.
We, once again, urgently call for:
Hosting the IGF in Saudi Arabia without addressing these demands undermines the forum’s mission and enables the Saudi government to exploit this platform to whitewash its egregious rights violations. We call on the international community to stand in solidarity with the victims of repression in Saudi Arabia. The IGF must not serve as a tool for legitimizing oppression but rather as an open platform for advancing justice, human rights, and meaningful inclusivity.
Signatories:
Rights Abuses Linked to Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and Its Chairman, Mohammed bin Salman
Saudi Arabian Mass Killings of Ethiopian Migrants at the Yemen-Saudi Border
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