Additional Name(s): Ali Mohammed Baqir al-Nimr, علي محمد باقر النمر

Gender: Male

Current Location: Mabahith Prison, Dammam

Perpetrator: Saudi Arabia

Ethnic Group: Arab

Religion or Belief: Muslim – Shi'a

Reports of Torture: Yes

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Sentence: Commuted to 10 Years' Imprisonment (Originally Death)

Date of Detainment: February//2012

Date of Sentencing: May//2014

Current Status: Released

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Children’s Rights Protesting Religious Freedom Conditions Religious Identity

Nature of Charges: Aid & Abetment Arms Trafficking & Illicit Use of Weapons Harboring a Fugitive Illegal Assembly Incitement to Commit Crime & Violence Terrorism Treason & Sedition

Ali al-Nimr

Extra Bio Info:

Ali al-Nimr was imprisoned for his religious identity and for protesting religious discrimination.

In July 2012, authorities detained Al-Nimr, the nephew of prominent Shia cleric Nimr al-Nimr, for participating in protests against Shia discrimination in the Eastern Province. Despite only being 17 years old at the time of his arrest, authorities did not allow his parents to visit him in detention until four months later.  

Al-Nimr's case was handled by the Specialized Criminal Court (SCC), which committed several due process violations.  It reportedly held three hearings before allowing al-Nimr to have a lawyer who was then prevented from ever meeting with his client during the trial. 

In May 2014, the SCC sentenced al-Nimr to death. According to Human Rights Watch, he was convicted of “breaking allegiance with the ruler,” “going out to a number of marches, demonstrations, and gatherings against the state and repeating some chants against the state,” and inciting demonstrations via the internet. He was also convicted of "attacking police with Molotov cocktails and rocks, concealing men wanted by police, and helping the wanted men avoid police raids." No evidence was reportedly provided by prosecutors indicating police harm or injury. Al-Nimr reportedly told the court that he had been tortured into confessing.  However, it failed to investigate these allegations.

On February 8, 2021, the Saudi Human Rights Commission announced that al-Nimr's sentence had been commuted to ten years in prison. 

On October 27, 2021, it was reported that al-Nimr was released from prison.

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