Sanaa criticizes Saudi Arabia over arrests of pilgrims, foreign visitors
SANAA, July 01 (YPA) – A recent Amnesty International report has highlighted Saudi Arabia’s human rights record, sparking controversy after reporting that visitors to the Kingdom, including tourists and Hajj and Umrah pilgrims, were arrested and prosecuted over their online activity.
Commenting on the report, a senior official in Sanaa sharply criticized Riyadh over the detention and prosecution of Saudi visitors, including pilgrims, on the basis of earlier online posts.
He said the cases raise serious questions about freedom of expression and the safety of visitors, particularly those traveling to perform religious rituals.
In a post on X, Mohammed Al-Farah, a member of the political bureau of Ansarullah, said Saudi authorities monitor critics abroad and detain them upon arrival for Hajj, holding and prosecuting them while they are guests in the holy sites.
He also pointed to a contradiction in Saudi policy, saying Riyadh labels Iran’s actions against hostile vessels in the Strait of Hormuz as “aggression and piracy,” while taking legal action against individuals over their opinions expressed on social media.
Al-Farah cited an Amnesty International report published on June 29, 2026, in cooperation with the ALQST organization, which said Saudi authorities had detained several visitors over social media posts, including posts published before entering the Kingdom.
According to the report, the two organizations have documented the cases of nine people, predominantly from Global South and Middle Eastern countries of origin, who were arrested in Saudi Arabia during visits between July 2022 and late 2025 for their social media posts. Four of the nine were visiting for Hajj or Umrah; the other five for tourism or family trips.
Saudi authorities detained some visitors shortly after they arrived in the country, others during their stay and others while attempting to exit the country.
“Individuals travelling to Saudi Arabia to undertake once-in-a-lifetime religious pilgrimage journeys or to visit their loved ones are suddenly thrust into a nightmare scenario – without warning – torn apart from their families and all of this just for social media posts,” said Bissan Fakih, MENA Campaigner at Amnesty International.
“The Saudi authorities’ long-standing suppression of the free speech of their own citizens and residents is now being extended to foreign visitors. Behind the Saudi government’s carefully curated image of being open to the world lies a prevailing climate of fear, maintained by severe repression inside the country,” said Nadyeen Abdulaziz, Monitoring and Advocacy Officer at ALQST.
In the report’s conclusion, the two organizations called on states to pressure Saudi Arabia to end its crackdown on freedom of expression against both visitors and residents and to immediately release those held for exercising their right to freedom of expression.
They also urged foreign ministries around the world to update their travel advisories for Saudi Arabia, warning travelers of the potential risks associated with their social media activity before visiting the Kingdom.
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