Symposium puts spotlight on human rights and arbitrary detention in Saudi Arabia
Human rights organisation Alkarama hosted a one-day symposium in London focusing on human rights and arbitrary detention in Saudi Arabia.
Participants agreed over Monday and Tuesday to work together to finalise a summary set of recommendations to the Saudi Arabian authorities on human rights and arbitrary detention in Saudi Arabia developed at the symposium.
The participants included human rights defenders, lawyers, experts, journalists, families of prisoners and ex-detainees, including Dr Mohammed Fahad al-Qahtani (Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association co-founder), Sandy Mitchell (former detainee), Dina El-Mamoun and Sara Mac Neice (Amnesty International), Christoph Wilcke (Human Rights Watch), Abdulhadi Alkhawaja (Front Line Defenders), Iain Byrne (Interights), Rachid Mesli (Alkarama) and Nabeel Rajab (FIDH).
Symposium participants outlined the human rights issues underlying arbitrary detention such as freedom of expression and association, and shed light on some of its correlations and consequences, such as torture and other ill-treatment, health problems and the suffering caused to families. Experts reviewed the legal process for those currently detained as well as legal options after release.
"Many thousands of people are held in Saudi Arabian prisons without charge, trial or date for release," says Deborah Manning, Senior Legal Officer, Alkarama. "This is contrary to Saudi Arabian law, international human rights law, and Islamic principles of justice."
"Our aim is to coordinate efforts to reinforce the rule of law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We want to ensure that all detainees are either released or properly charged and receive a speedy, fair, and public trial. They have the right to petition a court to determine the lawfulness of their detention at any time pending trial."
The symposium heard first-hand accounts from former detainees and families from as well as from the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association currently working to free arbitrarily detained persons in Saudi Arabia, including newly elected President Dr Mohammed Fahad al-Qahtani.
The Participants agreed to the following:
Arbitrary detention is common in Saudi Arabia. Credible human rights reports estimate the numbers of those arbitrarily detained to be in the thousands, many for years without charge or trial. Those whom the authorities have referred to trial, who reportedly number in the hundreds, were tried in closed sessions and without legal representation of their own choosing. Saudi Arabia's domestic intelligence forces (al-Mabahith al-‘Aamma) regularly detain for prolonged periods, often in solitary confinement, without charge or trial, peaceful human rights defenders, academics and advocates of political reform, as well as persons who publicly criticize the government.
We call upon the authorities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to respect the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the UN Convention Against Torture. We refer in particular to Articles 9 and 10 of the UDHR stating "[n]o one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile,' and "[e]veryone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him."