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On 21st April 2025, the Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) reported on the case of internet activist Umm Nasser who was due to appear before the Doha Criminal Court on 22nd April 2025 for a review hearing of the initial verdict against her. According to reports received by GCHR, she continues to suffer ill-treatment and lack of healthcare in the Doha Capital Security Department prison.
On 20th March 2025, the Criminal Court sentenced Nasser to three years in prison and a fine of 50,000 Qatari Riyals (USD 13,645) on charges of spreading false rumours, managing a social media account to spread such rumours, and disrespecting the Qatari judiciary.
Her mother died in March 2025 but she was not informed and therefore denied the right to attend her funeral. In addition, her two children, aged five and six, were also prevented from visiting her in prison, a clear violation of the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules). According to informed sources, Nasser’s right to a fair trial has also been severely compromised by the authorities’ intimidation of her defence team.
On 28th March 2025, internet activist Ahmed Abdullah Al-Saad Al-Kuwari went on hunger strike in his cell, located in the seventh sector of the Central Prison, in protest against the arbitrary prison sentence issued against him. He called on the international community and human rights organisations to stand in solidarity with him. He was transferred to the hospital due to the deterioration of his health as a result of his hunger strike.
On 19th January 2024, he was arrested by the Saudi State Security Presidency without any charges being filed. On 7th April 2024, he was deported across the Saudi-Qatari border in coordination with Qatar’s notorious State Security Apparatus, to whom the Saudi authorities handed over his four mobile phones, several memory cards containing his files, and personal documents.
On 25th July 2024, the Court of First Instance sentenced the internet activist to five years in prison, blocked his online account, and confiscated his phones. On 10th October 2024, the Court of Appeal decided to increase the initial sentence against him to 13 years in prison.
He was convicted of the following charges: From 2022 to 2024, he is alleged to have publicly challenged the Emir’s exercise of his rights and powers and defamed him; published and republished rumours; publicly disrespected judges; created and operated a website using an information technology device to spread false news; violated social principles and values through his use of the internet via his TikTok and YouTube accounts; and incited hatred and sowed discord among members of society.
The following articles from three laws were used to convict him: Articles (1/134, 136 bis, and 201) of the Penal Code and its amendments, Articles (6, 8) of the Anti-Cybercrime Law, and Article (47/i) of the Press and Publications Law No. (8) of 1979.
On 4th February 2025, Qatar and Saudi Arabia entered into a security agreement to exchange personal data and information of citizens between the two countries, which puts their digital privacy, including that of human rights and internet activists, at grave risk.