On July 10, the Committee to Protect Journalists joined four human rights organizations in urging Saudi authorities to immediately release various Saudi content creators and journalists, including Palestinian journalist and podcast presenter Hatem al-Najjar, who has been detained since January of this year. Al-Najjar is the host of the popular podcast “Muraba” (Square) on Thmanyah, a Saudi media platform that produces various podcasts.
The statement further called on Saudi authorities to end their campaigns of defamation and harassment against all those peacefully expressing views that diverge from the official government line or carrying out legitimate work in journalism, broadcasting, and online media.
As of December 2023, 10 journalists remain detained in Saudi prisons.
