Saudi Arabia

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Awad Al-Qarni, a 65-year-old law professor and prominent Saudi preacher, was arrested by the intelligence services (Mahabith) in 2017 during the massive crackdown on preachers, human rights defenders, journalists and businessmen including members of the royal family. He is accused of using social networks (Twitter and WhatsApp) to spread information interpreted as "hostile" to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi Court of Appeals has, in retaliation, doubled the prison sentences of several relatives of the prominent preacher Safar bin Abdulrahman AL HAWALI for refuting the charges and refusing the injustice suffered.

According to Saudi human rights sources, the Court of Appeal issued a ruling to increase the sentence issued against Saadallah Al Hawali, brother of Dr. Safar Al Hawali, from 4 to 14 years.

Alkarama sent an urgent appeal to the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, the Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression and a number of other United Nations (UN) actions regarding the concerns of the death sentence sought by the Saudi Public Prosecution against academic Awad bin

Saudi Arabia
Our concerns
  • Systematic practice of torture and arbitrary detention, including prolonged detention devoid of any legal basis;
  • Abusive counter-terrorism measures and unfair trials before the Specialised Criminal Court, often resulting in the death penalty ;
  • Severe repression of freedom of expression through arrests and arbitrary detention of peaceful dissidents, including human rights defenders;
  • Severe violations of international humanitarian and human rights law in Yemen.

 

Human Rights Instruments
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)
ICCPR Ratified ?
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment (UNCAT)
UNCAT Ratified ?
UNCAT Ratification Date
OPCAT (National Preventive Mechanism) Ratified ?
National Preventive Mechanism (OPCAT) created ?
Date of last Concluding Observations by Committee against Torture (CAT)
Next CAT State Report Due
OVERDUE - State party did not submit report on time
International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPPED)
ICPPED Ratified ?
Human Rights Council
Date last Universal Period Review (UPR)
UPR Next Review
Membership of Human Rights Council:

Term expires in 2019

National Human Rights Institution
Accreditation with the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI)
None

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