Alkarama's Yemen office, in cooperation with the National Organisation for Defending Rights and Freedoms "HOOD", organised today, Wednesday 5 September 2012, a meeting to hear the testimonies of the victims of the American drone attack on a civilian car in the Radaa area in the province of Bayda (170 Kilometres south east of the capital Sana) which took place last Sunday 2 September 2012. The raid killed 11 civilians including two children and two women.

The relatives of the victims spoke during the meeting about the magnitude of the tragedy caused by the American raid.

Mr Zoubir Kaf, a 70 year old father of four left his family home in Laghouat on the 17th of July 2011 at 6.30am and has not been seen since.

 

That day he was meant to be meeting some friends, several of whom tried to reach him at his family home when they noticed that he did not turn up.

Following the preliminary investigations with former Minister Michel Samaha, suspected of plotting terrorist attacks in Lebanon, carried out this past week, his case was referred to the Military Tribunal.

Mr Ali bin Abdullah bin Ali al-Zamel, a brother of a prisoner in al-Hayer, sent an appeal letter to King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz and members of the Saudi ruling class, to the High Commissioner for Human Rights and to local human rights organisations, asking them all to intervene in order to protect the prisoners of al-Hayer who have been in a sit-in for many weeks, and to respond to their legitimate demands which Alkarama had espoused, particularly releasing prisoners of arbitrary detentions which fill the Kingdom's prisons.

On 20 May, Ahmad Abdulwahed, a Sunni religious figure known for his political support of the Syrian opposition, and Mohammad al Mereb were shot dead by soldiers from the Lebanese Military at a check point at the entrance to Kwaikhat, northern Lebanon. This incident rekindled tensions in the north which were already shaken up by the recent violent clashes between supporters and opponents of the Syrian regime.

A group of Saudi human rights activists wrote a letter on 5 August 2012 to King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz, and Interior Minister Prince Ahmad Bin Abdulaziz, asking them to release Khaled bin Suleiman Al Omeir and Mohamed bin Salih Al Bjady, two prisoners of conscience, and all other individuals arbitrarily detained in the Kingdom.

Khaled Al-Omeir is one of the most prominent figures in the movement calling for peaceful political reform in Saudi Arabia.

Alkarama has appealed to the United Nations to intervene immediately with the Saudi authorities to interrupt the flogging punishment which to which Ms Najla Yahya Wafa, an Egyptian citizen held in al-Malaz prison in the capital Riyadh, has been subjected. Ms Wafa has already been subjected to a total of 300 lashes, starting on 1 May, and the remaining 200 are to be administered at regular intervals.