Articles for Saudi Arabia

On April 3, 2019 and on the request of Alkarama, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) issued a decision calling for the immediate release of Saudi human rights defender Mohammad Abdullah Al Otaibi, who was arrested on May 24, 2017, at the Hamad International Airport in Doha by Qatari security forces, and then forcibly deported to Saudi Arabia on May 28, 2017.

On March 14, 2019, the UN Human Rights Council (

On November 9, 2018, the United Nations Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) adopted a draft report following the review of Saudi Arabia’s human rights record on November 5, 2018.

(Geneva – October 10, 2018) – Alkarama, ALQST and Reporters Without Borders have requested the urgent intervention of the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) in the case of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who remains missing more than a week after he was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

(Geneva, September 24, 2018) – On September 20, 2018, Alkarama submitted the case of prominent Islamic Scholar Salman Al Odah to the UN Special Rapporteur on counter-terrorism and human rights (SRCT).

(Geneva, September 18, 2018) – Alkarama has requested the urgent intervention of the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) in the case of Yemeni journalist Marwan Al Muraisy, who has been missing since his arrest by the Saudi authorities around three months ago.

Abdulmajeed Al Zahrani (L) and Ahmad Al Zahrani (R)

(Geneva, September 7, 2018) – Two brothers of Canada-based political activist Omar Al Zahrani have been arrested in Saudi Arabia after being pressured to convince their brother to halt his activism. Ahmad and Abdulmajeed Al Zahrani’s family has not heard from the brothers since they were summoned to Dhahban Central Prison, north of Jeddah, on August 21.

(L-R) Nassima Al Sadah, Samar Badawi and Yasser Al Ayyaf

(Geneva, August 9, 2018) – On August 6, 2018, Alkarama submitted the cases of four Saudi human rights defenders and campaigners to the United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID).

Abdelkarim Al Hawaj (L) and Mounir Aal Adam (R)

(Geneva, July 31, 2018) – On July 25, 2018, Alkarama requested the intervention of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) in the cases of two Saudi nationals sentenced to death for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly in trials that did not meet fair trial guarantees.

Sheikh Safar Al Hawali

(Geneva, July 13, 2018) – Alkarama has requested the urgent intervention of several UN Special Procedures following the Saudi authorities’ arrest of 68-year-old Islamic scholar Sheikh Safar Al Hawali, his brother and four sons as part of an ongoing crackdown on freedom of opinion and expression in the country.