Saudi authorities 'arrest human rights activist Yasser al-Ayyaf'

State security forces raided the home of Ayyaf on 31 July and took him to an unknown location, human rights organisation ALQST reported on Friday.

Ayyaf has been active in campaigning for the rights of prisoners of conscience in the country, with his own father, Abdullah al-Ayyaf, spending over a decade in a Saudi jail.

Between 2011 to 2013, Ayyaf took part in peaceful marches and protests across the country and was arrested and tortured, ALQST said.

During his time in detention, he was repeatedly beaten and suffered a broken arm and leg according to the group, and was also flogged along with other detainees.

He later made a formal complaint to the Minister of Interior about his torture and ill treatment but was told he would face consequences if he went public with the allegations.

"ALQST calls for urgent action to protect Yasser al-Ayyaf, and for him to receive compensation for the harm done to him and all the other victims of torture and arbitrary arrest," the rights group said in a statement.

His arrest comes as two high-profile women's rights activists were detained in Saudi Arabia this week.

Award-winning gender rights activist Samar Badawi was arrested along with fellow campaigner Nassima al-Sadah.

Human Rights Watch said they were the "the latest victims of an unprecedented government crackdown on the women's rights movement."

Their arrests "signal that the Saudi authorities see any peaceful dissent, whether past or present, as a threat to their autocratic rule," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch.

Amal al-Harbi, the wife of jailed civic rights activist Fowzan al-Harbi, was also taken into custody this week, HRW said while adding that it was unclear why she was targeted.

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