Al-Huwiatat arrests
Oct. 1, 2020
WCH: On 1 October 2020 two members of the al-Huwaitat Indigenous tribe in Saudi Arabia were arrested for criticising the Saudi government and its NEOM development project on social media. One of them was detained outside the Fahad Bin Sultan university in Tabuk.
Numerous other members of the tribe had also been arrested, harassed and even killed. The Saudi Arabian government was intending to construct a $500 billion new high-tech development called NEOM, including the futuristic supposedly green city known as The Line, on al-Huwaitat land.
Authorities offered only minimal compensation, and so the approximately 20,000 Indigenous people refused to vacate their homes.
At the time of writing (September 2023), three Indigenous people have been given death sentences, and are awaiting execution: Shadli, Ibrahim and Ataullah al-Huwaiti.
Numerous other members of the tribe had also been arrested, harassed and even killed. The Saudi Arabian government was intending to construct a $500 billion new high-tech development called NEOM, including the futuristic supposedly green city known as The Line, on al-Huwaitat land.
Authorities offered only minimal compensation, and so the approximately 20,000 Indigenous people refused to vacate their homes.
At the time of writing (September 2023), three Indigenous people have been given death sentences, and are awaiting execution: Shadli, Ibrahim and Ataullah al-Huwaiti.