Saudi authorities yesterday released human rights defender, Abdul Rahman Al-Shamiri, after detaining him for 15 years . The rights organisation ALQST and the Prisoners of Conscience Twitter account quoted sources as saying that Al-Shimiri was released “following the expiry of his sentence.” Al-Shamiri is a retired Saudi academic who worked at Umm Al-Qura University, he was also a consultant in the kingdom’s Shura Council for years. He was arrested in 2007, and sentenced to a 15-year prison term on charges including “disobeying the ruler”. In December 2003, Al-Shamiri was one of the signatories of a reform document sent to the Saudi monarch at the time, King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz, demanding Saudis be allowed to participate in the political system. The … Continue reading Saudi Arabia releases prominent rights advocate after 15 years in prison