The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention confirms the arbitrary nature of 12 cases of detention

15 Jun 2011
The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention recently adopted 12 opinions confirming the arbitrary nature of the detentions of victims whose cases we brought to their attention. The opinions concern the following people:

Mr. Mohamed Ahmed Mustafa; Hassan Ibrahim Saleh and Maarouf Ahmad Malla Ahamad, Syria

Mr. Abdul Hakim Gellani, Saudi Arabia

Mr. Tarek Abdelmoujoud Al Zumer, Egypt

Mr. Osama Mohsen Hussein Al Saadi at Mohamed Mohsen Hussein Al Saadi, Yemen

Mr. Imed Al Chibani, Libya

Mr. Mahmoud Abdelsamad Kassem, Egypt

Mr. Nizar Ahmed Sultan Abdelhalem, Egypt

Mr. Bachr b. Fahd b. Al-Bachr, Saudi Arabia

Mr. Ali ben Mohamed Hamad Al Qahtani, Saudi Arabia

Mr. Abdulrahim Ali Abdullah Al-Murbati, Saudi Arabia

Mr. Abdulrahmane Al-Faqasi Al-Ghamdi, Saudi Arabia

Mr. Fouad Yahya Ali Al-Samhi, Saudi Arabia

Our organization welcomes these decisions that confirm the communications we submitted previously, but also are disturbed by the lack of cooperation shown by the refusal of the concerned states to offer any kind of response to the multiple communications sent to them. The UN experts also clearly regret this lack of cooperation.

Alkarama deplores this lack of cooperation and is particularly disturbed by the situation in Saudi Arabia where this practice is reoccurring despite many calls from the UN special procedures for it to end. Alkarama is concerned that the situation has not improved and questions whether or not the participation of Saudi Arabia in the Human Rights Council remains legitimate considering the numerous and grave violations of human rights that are reported to us.

Our organization is also preoccupied with the situation in Egypt where, despite the recent regime change that offered a chance to improve human rights, arbitrary detention and other grave violations continue to be perpetrated by the military. We are pleased with the release of Mr. Tarek Abdelmoujoud Al Zumer, one of the oldest political detainees in the country, last May 10th. News of his release was communicated to the Working Group by the government.

Alkarama calls on all the concerned states to take action to adopt the opinions of the Working group and ensure the release without delay of all those who are arbitrarily detained. We hope that in the future states will cooperate in an effective manner with the UN Special Procedures with respect to their international obligations.