Saudi Cartoonist Faces 23yrs Sentence for Satirical Drawings that 'Insulted the Kingdom's Leaders'

The ongoing tension between governmental authority and individual rights in Saudi Arabia, Mohammed al-Hazza, a Saudi cartoonist, has been sentenced to 23 years in prison.

This severe penalty comes as a result of his satirical drawings, which allegedly insulted the leadership of the Gulf kingdom. Initially arrested in February 2018 during what was described as 'a violent raid' by security forces, al-Hazza was first sentenced to six years. However, as he was nearing release, his case was unexpectedly reopened, leading to the much harsher sentence.

The controversial cartoons were published in the Qatari newspaper Lusail and shared on social media, where they were deemed "offensive" to Saudi Arabia.

Human rights organizations, including the London-based Sanad Human Rights Organisation, have criticized this move, highlighting it as part of a broader crackdown on freedom of expression under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

These groups point out that the Saudi judiciary has increasingly handed down lengthy prison terms for online speech perceived as critical of the government.

Al-Hazza's sister, Asrar al-Hazza, expressed her dismay over the sudden extension of his sentence, noting that he was on the verge of being released when the case was revisited.

The lack of response from Saudi authorities regarding requests for comment further adds to the opacity surrounding the judicial process in such cases.