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Escaping oppression: Saudi Arabian activist finds freedom with AAI’s support

Escaping oppression: Saudi Arabian activist finds freedom with AAI’s support

SOLAL MAHDI AHMED is a Saudi Arabian ex-Muslim who is also an activist in the atheist community. He was born into the Muslim religion and had studied IT. He also extensively studied religious texts which, along with his experience living in an Islamic society, made him question his religious beliefs and he no longer followed the Muslim faith since 2015. Later he became an activist to raise his voice against Muslim doctrines and valued secularism. He appeared on YouTube shows organized by other Saudi secular activists and openly declared himself as an atheist.

Mahdi is also a bisexual man and from the Shia sect of Islam. The Saudi government routinely executes and imprisons people for both homosexuality and apostasy from Islam, and has been repressing Shia Muslims since early 1800. Mahdi even witnessed the deaths of two friends to a sniper from the Saudi armed forces while they were leaving a coffee shop when a protest was happening nearby.

Being an umbrella organization, Atheist Alliance International has affiliate organizations around the globe. We also closely work with many Saudi activists who have confirmed to us that he is an ardent atheist.

In search of freedom Mahdi first went to Japan, and then South Korea.

Mahdi first contacted us from South Korea for assistance as his application for asylum in South Korea was rejected and he was at risk of deportation to Saudi Arabia. Our senior case manager Benjamin Lebal has been working for his safety ever since.

In his quest for freedom and safety, Mahdi has recently arrived in the European Union. With the help of Atheist Alliance International, he is seeking asylum.

Mahdi shared his thoughts, and expressed his thankfulness to AAI with an emotional text, “AAI came to my aid from the very moment I have contacted them, emotionally, financially, and finally to safety. They did help me survive when I had no means to survive on my own and supported me emotionally when I had no one to lean on! I witnessed them sacrifice their time and everything they have, pressuring themselves to the limits to help everyone they can help and get them to safety. I will forever be thankful for them and will never forget what they did for me.”

We’re happy to be the help he needed and wish him a bright future.


Help AAI help atheists like our friend Mahdi. Please donate to our fundraiser. And you can find our Facebook fundraiser here, thank you.

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