Who is Al-Bjadi ?

Mohammad bin Saleh Al-Bjadi is a Saudi political activist, and one of the cofounders of Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association (ACPRA)
Al-Bjadi was born in Buridah, Al-Qassim, at which he lives. He is 34 years old and has two children 2 Lara and Turki. Al-bjadi comes from a well-off family. And he has been suspended from college after he participated in a sit-in that demanded students’ rights. From then on, his human rights activities continued, through which he defended political prisoners, and encouraged their families to demand for their release.

Al-Bjadi’s father died while he was in prison, due to participating with the families of prisoners in a protest in 2005. This was the first Al-bjadi was imprisoned but not the last. Al-bjadi continued to write and educate people of matters of peaceful protests.
Al-Bjadi’s political activities and the reasons behind his imprisonment:

Al-bjadi was imprisoned three times due to his political activities; the first one was from the 4th of September 2007 untill 1st of January 2008. The second one was from the 9th of January until the 11th of January 2008.

On the 20th of March 2011, Al-bjadi participated in a protest in front of the MOI in Riyadh, in which they demanded to meet Prince Mohammad Bin Naif, the Deputy Minister of Interior (TBD). He was arrested the very next day, after he returned to his family in Buridah by members of the security forces; whom some of were in civilian clothes.

Amnesty announced that AL-bjadi is a political prisoner who has been arrested mainly due to his human rights activities. And ACPRA claims that his arrest was because he uncovered the torture and death of a Yamani prisoner named Alda’ees.

Al-Bjadi was accused of the following charges: Membership in an uncertified association, position of banned books and supporting Bahraini protests. And in the latest MOI statement, he was accused of denouncing the government and communicating with foreign parties.

On the 16th of April, Amnesty said that Al-bjadi is being held at Al-Hayer prison, and that he was sentenced 4 years in prison and 5 years of travel ban during a secret trail on the 10th of April for the following charges; establishing a human rights activities association, denouncing the government, encouraging the families of prisoners to go on public protests, questioning the independency of the judiciary and position of banned books.

Campaigns demanding his release

On the 4th of March 2012, a campaign demanding for Al-Bjadi’s release was organized on twitter. And on the 8th and 9th of March 38 activists participated in a public hunger strike to support Al-Bjadi. After that, a series of campaigns demanding for his release started across the social network.

Al-Bjadis hunger strike protests while in prison:

On the 9th of April 2012, ACPRA released a statement saying that Al-Bjadi has engaged in ahunger strike protest since March 11, 2012, and that his health was deteriorating. MOI denied that on the very next day; “His health is good.” said Mansour Al-Turki, spokesperson of MOI. Al-bjadi went on strike for the second time on the 28th of July in protest for maltreatment and confiscation of his possessions. Then he went on strike for the third time on the 19th of September until now.

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