Saudi Arabia temporarily releases two US-Saudi political prisoners - Al-Monitor: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

Al-Monitor Staff

Al-Monitor Staff

Feb 5, 2021

An activist of the human rights NGO Amnesty International takes part in an action in front of the embassy of Saudi Arabia in Brussels on January 8, 2021, calling for the release of jailed Saudi blogger Raif Badawi. - Badawi was sentenced to 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes for insulting Islam. (Photo by Kenzo TRIBOUILLARD / AFP) (Photo by KENZO TRIBOUILLARD/AFP via Getty Images) — An activist of the human rights group Amnesty International takes part in an action in front of the embassy of Saudi Arabia in Brussels on Jan. 8, 2021. — KENZO TRIBOUILLARD/AFP via Getty Images

Saudi Arabia has temporarily released two US-Saudi nationals held as political prisoners since 2019 amid growing international pressure over the kingdom’s human rights record.

Journalist Salah al-Haidar and Bader al-Ibrahim, an epidemiologist and writer, left Saudi custody on Thursday pending trial at Saudi Arabia’s specialized court for terrorism cases.

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