Articles for Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia: Ali Al-Faqasi, arbitrarily detained with wife and two brothers

More than six years since his arrest, after having paid a visit to the Vice Minister of Interior of Saudi Arabia, based on the promise of a fair trial, Mr.

24 Sep 2009

Saudi Arabia: Adel Al-Hamadani, arbitrarily detained since June 2008

On 7 June 2009, while crossing the Yemeni-Saudi border at Al-Tiwal, Mohamed Naji Rashed Al-Hamadani was arrested by Saudi Immigration Police (Rijal Al-Jawazat) and later detained by Saudi Intelligence at Jizan Prison. He is currently being detained arbitrarily Al-Qassim Prison in Saudi.

Alkarama sent a communication to the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention on 15 September 2009 asking them to intervene with the Saudi authorities in order that Mr Al-Hamadani be released or brought to justice.

15 Sep 2009

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

Arrested on 13 December 2002 at Dubai airport by State Security forces (Amn Al-Dawla), Mr Nabil Al-Hassani was tortured in their custody for 76 days before being transferred to Saudi Arabia where he remains detained without trial.

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

14 Sep 2009

Saudi Arabia: Dr Al-Rayyes in secret detention yet again

Dr. Al-Rayyes, an intellectual and reformist, was once again arbitrarily arrested on 25 May 2009 by the Saudi Intelligence Services (Amn Al-Mabahit Al-Dowla). He has been in solitary confinement at Al-Hayr prison (Riyadh) for three months.

On 2 September 2009, Alkarama sent a communication to the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, asking it to once again intervene in the case of Dr Al-Rayyes, who was arbitrarily detained in 2003 and 2004 for publicly voicing his political opinions.

02 Sep 2009

Saudi Arabia: Arbitrary detention of Mohammad Al-Oteibi for peaceful protest

Mohamed Al-Oteibi was arrested in Riyadh on 2 January 2009 by the Intelligence Services (Al-Mabahit) following an attempted demonstration in protest of Israeli aggression in Gaza.

13 Aug 2009

Saudi Arabia: Mr Al-Rimi, Yemeni national, detained arbitrarily

On 7 October 2008, Mr Al-Rimi was arrested by Saudi police at Al-Tiwal while he was crossing the border from Yemen to Saudi Arabia. Since then, he has been arbitrarily detained at Al-Tayef prison.

On 4 August 2009 Alkarama sent a communication to the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention asking it to intercede with the Saudi authorities in the case of Mr Al-Rimi.

05 Aug 2009

Saudi Arabia: Dr Al-Hashimi in isolation, victim of ill treatment

Dr. Saud Mukhtar Al-Hashimi, arrested with eight other persons on 2 February 2007 by the Intelligence Services (Mabahith) in Jeddah, is currently detained and subject to ill treatment. Due to his hunger strike that began on 1 June 2009 he has been the victim of retaliation.

Alkarama called upon the Special Rapporteur on torture on 21 July 2009 asking him to urgently intervene with the Saudi authorities to stop the abuse of Dr Al-Hashimi.

23 Jul 2009

Saudi Arabia: Six months of arbitrary detention for Al-Oteibi and Al-‘Omeir, General Investigative Services deny orders for their release

Despite the recent orders of the Saudi judicial inquiry for the release of two detainees, arrested for trying to organize a peaceful demonstration in early January 2009, the Executive Authorities in Saudi Arabia represented by the General Investigative Services have refused to comply with the orders of the judiciary, and insist on the arbitrary detention of a number of persons who tried to organize the demonstration, including Mr Khalid Suleiman Al-‘Omeir and Mr Mohammad Al-Oteibi, who were arrested six months without ever facing any legal proceedings.

04 Jul 2009

Saudi Arabia: Recommendations of UPR miss the mark for human rights defenders

On 10 June 2009, the Human Rights Council (HRC) adopted the Working Group's report on Saudi Arabia. During their fourth session of the Universal Periodic Review (2-13 February 2009) the human rights situation in Iraq was also discussed.

12 Jun 2009

Saudi Arabia: Abdullah Al-Souidani released from incommunicado detention

Alkarama was informed that Abdullah Al-Souidani was released on May 31 2009. The Qatari citizen was stopped at the border between Qatar and Saudi Arabia on 9 May 2009. He was held incommunicado at the Al-Hayr prison without his family being able to reach him. Finally released, he was able to return to Qatar.

Alkarama sought the intervention of the Special Rapporteur on Torture, requesting him to intervene with Saudi authorities.

07 Jun 2009