Saudi Arabia: Nabil Al-Hassani, charity worker, 76 days of torture

Mr Al-Hassani, 34, is a Saudi national who works in charity for the people of Kurdistan.

When the Emirati States Security forces took him into custody, he was not presented with a judicial arrest warrant, nor was he told the reasons for his arrest.

On 14 September 2009, Alkarama submitted his case to the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention asking them to intervene with the Saudi authorities in order that he be released or at least that he be brought to justice. On the same date, Alkarama also sent an urgent appeal to the Special Rapporteur on Torture (SRT) informing him of this further case of torture in the United Arab Emirates.

During his detention, the Emirati State Security forces kept him in an isolated room, constantly illuminated with intensely bright light, where he was beaten, deprived of sleep and prevented from eating. All these practices were intended to force confessions from him.

On 26 February 2003, he was transferred from Dubai to Ruwais prison in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where he was detained for 5 years without charge and without ever knowing the reasons for his detention. In February 2008 he was transferred to Dahban prison, also in Jeddah, where he remains to his day.

Since his arrest, Nabil Al-Hassani's mother has fallen ill and is suffering from arterial tension. We are informed that Mr Al-Hassani's health has also significantly deteriorated since his transfer to Saudi Arabia and that he is not provided with adequate health care.