The Right Livelihood Award — known as the “Alternative Nobel” — appealed on Wednesday 14 November to Saudi Arabia to free three jailed human rights defenders who are the recipients of this year’s award The foundation also urged that the kingdom stop “harassing and killing those who fight” for democracy. Ole von Uexkull, foundation head, said the three jailed Saudi men had “acted through peaceful means” in their activism.

In September, the three Saudi activists — Abdullah al-Hamid, Mohammad Fahad al-Qahtani and Waleed Abu al-Khair were announced as the winners together with two Latin American anti-corruption crusaders — Thelma Aldana of Guatemala and Colombia’s Ivan Velasquez. [https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2018/09/24/laureates-of-the-2018-right-livelihood-award-announced/ ]

The foundation said two family members and Yahya Assiri, another Saudi rights activist, will attend the award ceremony planned in Stockholm next week.

http://www.startribune.com/alternative-nobel-urges-freedom-for-3-saudi-activists/500464501/