Osama Khalid

Osama Khalid
Headshot of Osama Khalid
Khalid in 2016
Born (1994-01-19) 19 January 1994 (age 30)[1]
NationalitySaudi Arabian
Occupations
Criminal chargesSwaying public opinion
Criminal penalty32 years
Criminal statusIncarcerated

Osama Khalid (Arabic: أسامة خالد, romanized: ʾUsāma Khālid, pronounced [ʔuˈsaːma ˈxaːlid]; born 19 January 1994) is a Saudi Arabian medical doctor and a Wikipedia administrator, who was sentenced to a 32-year prison sentence in 2020.[2] According to human rights activists, his arrest and prison sentence was because he contributed information deemed to be critical about the persecution of political activists in Saudi Arabia.[3] According to the joint statement by Washington-based whistleblower organization DAWN and Beirut based digital rights group SMEX, the arrest of Osama is speculated to be part of a crackdown on Wikipedia administrators.[4] However, the charges pressed on him by the Saudi regime are "swaying public opinion" and "violating public morals" by posting content "deemed to be critical about the persecution of political activists in the country".[5]

  1. ^ "Saudi Arabia: Birthday in jail: Saudi Wikipedian Osama Khalid Remains Unjustly Imprisoned on his 30th Birthday". Access Now. Archived from the original on 28 January 2024. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  2. ^ "Saudi Arabia jails two Wikipedia staff in 'bid to control content'". The Guardian. 5 January 2023. Archived from the original on 16 January 2023. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  3. ^ "Saudi Arabia 'infiltrated' Wikipedia to control content, activists say". Middle East Eye. Archived from the original on 1 April 2023. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  4. ^ "Activists say Saudi government 'infiltrated' Wikipedia, jailed two admins". Archived from the original on 28 January 2024. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  5. ^ Belanger, Ashley (6 January 2023). "Wikipedia admin jailed for 32 years after alleged Saudi spy infiltration". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on 19 January 2023. Retrieved 28 January 2024.