
On January 16, 2025, Alkarama submitted a request for urgent intervention to the United Nations Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED) regarding the disappearance of Mr. Ayesh Al Harby, a Saudi national currently detained in Al Rusafa prison in Baghdad, Iraq.
Ayesh Al Harby: Disappeared During Detention
Detained since 2009, Mr. Ayesh Al Harby has faced multiple extradition requests to Saudi Arabia, where he risks being subjected to enforced disappearance, torture, or even execution.
Alkarama, which has been closely monitoring his case for more than ten years, has raised his situation with various United Nations special procedures.
In an urgent appeal dated November 20, 2013, his case was submitted to the Special Rapporteur on Torture and the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention. Both special procedures subsequently sent an allegation letter to the Iraqi government, requesting detailed information about the victim's situation. However, no response was provided. While the Iraqi authorities refrained from extraditing him at the time, they failed to address his case meaningfully.
In 2022, Mr. Al Harby was referred to the Al Rusafa court, which, following a summary trial, approved Saudi Arabia's extradition request. Following an appeal supported by UNHCR, which intervened by assembling a legal team, the Iraqi Supreme Court, the highest judicial authority in the country, annulled the extradition decision on June 16, 2022, and rejected Saudi Arabia’s request.
Despite this final and binding decision, Mr. Al Harby was unexpectedly referred again to the Al Rusafa court on October 10, 2024. During another summary trial, where the presiding judge denied requests to postpone the hearing and allow Mr. Al Harby to appoint a lawyer of his choice, it was decided that he would be extradited to Saudi Arabia.
On October 16, 2024, Alkarama submitted an urgent request to the Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Executions and other UN special procedures, urging their immediate intervention with the Iraqi authorities to ensure the safety of Mr. Ayesh Al Harby, particularly by preventing his extradition.
Unfortunately, on November 25, 2024, Alkarama lost all contact with Mr. Ayesh Al Harby. Shortly thereafter, it was reported by one of his fellow detainees that Mr. Al Harby had been removed from his cell and had not been seen in the prison since.
Alkarama Appeals to the CED
On January 16, 2025, Alkarama submitted an urgent appeal to the CED, calling on the UN body to urge the Iraqi authorities to locate Mr. Ayesh Al Harby and to provide official information on his current situation.
As a party to the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance since 2011, the Iraqi state has an obligation to take all necessary measures to prevent enforced disappearances and to guarantee the right of any disappeared person to be located and to receive clear and official information regarding their situation.