Saudi prisoners of conscience start open hunger strike

RIYADH, Jan. 24 (YPA) – Prisoners of conscience in Saudi prisons have begun carrying out an open hunger strike, to protest against the poor living and humanitarian conditions, rights sources reported on Sunday.

ALQST Organization for Supporting Human Rights stated, in a brief statement on its official account on Twitter, that a number of detainees had begun an open hunger strike due to ill-treatment.

The organization indicated that among the detainees who carried out the hunger strike was the human rights detainee, Mohammed ‘Al-Otaibi’.

Dozens of detainees in “Al Saud” prisons went on an open strike from time to time, to demand improvement of their humanitarian conditions, family visits and phone calls, the organization added.

ALQST is an independent NGO organization that documents and promotes human rights in Saudi Arabia. It was established in 2014 by Saudi Arabian human rights defender Yahya Assiri.

YPA