Following the Iraq's ratification of the International Convention for the Protection of all Persons against Enforced Disappearances, the treaty will finally be implemented on 23 December 2010. Although Alkarama welcomes this step, it insists that enormous efforts must continue to be made, especially in the Arab world.

Mr Ali Abdulrahmane Al-Faqasi, a Saudi university student, has been detained without any trial or charge for over 7 and a half years. He gave himself up to the Saudi authorities on 26 June 2003, hoping to secure the release of 9 members of his family, including his wife, who had been arrested by the Saudi authorities to put pressure on Mr Al-Faqasi. He has been held since, in very difficult conditions in Al-Hayr prison, in Riyadh and with limited access to the outside world.

Since his arrest, Alkarama has been closely following Dr Al-Bachr's case.

Three and a half years ago, on 8 August 2007, Abdul Hakim Gellani, a British citizen and businessman of Yemeni heritage, was abducted by Saudi intelligence services from Al-Mordjane hotel in Mecca. He disappeared. On 25 September 2007, the Saudi authorities acknowledged his arrest but not his location.

GENEVA: On 10 December 2010, Alkarama presented its 2010 Award to Haithem Al-Maleh, the renowned 80 year-old Syrian human rights lawyer, who was unfortunately unable to accept the prize as he is currently detained inside Adra prison in Damascus, Syria.

Nonetheless, the ceremony took place on Friday evening at the Centre International de Conferences de Geneve (www.cicg.ch), in Geneva, Switzerland where Haithem Al-Maleh's son, Iyas Al-Maleh, received the award on his behalf.

Between 31 October and 1 November 2010 Rachid Tayane, Ahmed Daftare and Said Azzame were disappeared by plain-clothed intelligence officers in Mohammedia. Their families do not know where they are being detained, nor the charges held against them.

Alkarama sent urgent appeals to the Working group on enforced or involuntary disappearances (WGEID) on 14 December 2010 for Mr Tayane, and on 16 December for Mr Daftare and Mr Azzame in the hopes of receiving information regarding their whereabouts. Requests have also been made for their release and/or appearance before a judge.