Campaign to Nominate Saudi Activist For Nobel Peace Prize · Global Voices
Anas Soliman

A campaign to nominate imprisoned Saudi human rights defender Dr Abdullah al-Hamid for the Nobel Peace Prize 2014 was launched and received large attention within the Saudi Twittersphere.
The campaign describes its aim as follows:
In addition to expanding the international support for our candidate, we aim to distribute his vocation to the world to be remembered as one of those who lived for the good of their nation disregarding their prosperity, quiet life and even their freedom.
al-Hamid is one of the most recognized reformist figures. Working within the absolute Saudi kingdom, he spent 20 years peacefully advocating for public participation in the political process and condemning human rights violations by the Interior Ministry. Since 1994, he has been arrested seven times and had three prison sentences for charges such as inciting the public opinion, the last of which was ًan 11-year sentence issued on March 9, 2013. He has been in prison since then.
Tawakkul Karman, the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, has participated in the nomination. Activist Waleed Abulkhair tweeted [ar]:
#الحامد_نوبل_للسلام توكل كرمان مشكورة توافق على ترشيح د.عبدالله الحامد لجائزة نوبل السلام
— وليد أبوالخير (@WaleedAbulkhair) November 28, 2013
Thanks to Tawakkul Karman who agreed to nominate Dr. Abdullah al-Hamid for the Nobel Peace Prize.
al-Hamid's lawyer Abuzlaziz al-Hussan tweeted:
العنف الحكومي لم يجعله يتخذ طريق العنف … بل التزم بالسلم ضد الاستبداد … وانتصر وهو في زنزانته … #الحامد_نوبل_للسلام
— عبدالعزيز الحصان (@AHussan) November 27, 2013
The governmental violence did not make him turn to violence. He insisted on peaceful struggle against totalitarianism. He achieved victory in his prion cell.
Saudi women's rights activist Manal al-Sharif declared her support:
أنا أدعم هذا الهاشتاق #الحامد_نوبل_للسلام
— منال مسعود الشريف (@manal_alsharif) November 22, 2013
I support his hashtag: al-Hamid for Nobel Peace [Prize]
Writer Waleed al-Khodhairi tweeted about the importance of the nomination:
أهمية الجائزة في كيف نستطيع كمجتمع نقدم للعالم رمز ضحى بسنوات من عمره في السجون لأجل العدالة والمساواة.. #الحامد_نوبل_للسلام #alhamid4nobel
— وليد الخضيري (@AlKhodhairi) November 27, 2013
The importance of the prize is for us as a society to present to the world an icon who sacrificed many years in prison for justice and equality.
Author Abdullah al-Malki tweeted about al-Hamid's activism:
د. الحامد أصبح لدى جيل الشباب، إيقونة ورمز النضال السلمي المدني البريء من كل أشكال العنف .. #الحامد_نوبل_للسلام pic.twitter.com/dU6WSBgDvb
— عبدالله المالكي (@iAbuhesham) November 27, 2013
Dr. al-Hamid became an icon for the younger generation for peaceful civic struggle that is innocent of all forms of violence.