Abdulaziz Al-Barahim, a 37 year-old Saudi national paralysed since birth, was arrested by the Saudi investigative police (Al-Mabahith) at his home in Al-Khadra (Al-Qassim Province) before being brought to Aleesha Prison in Riyadh where he was detained incommunicado for the first few months - that is to say, without any contact with the outside world. He was then transfered to Al-Qassim prison where he is still imprisoned to date. Abdulaziz has been detained for almost six years in poor conditions in an environment unsuitable for his disability: not only does he not have access to the special treatment he requires but he has also been subjected to torture, including electric shocks. His family still wonders what he Saudi authorities' interest could be in detaining a person suffering from a physical disability who obviously does not represent any threat to 'national security'.

Today, Alkarama submitted an urgent appeal to the Special Rapporteur on Torture to ask him to intervene with the Saudi authorities regarding this matter. We call on the government to free Mr Al-Barahim or to place him under the protection of the law while providing him with conditions of detention suitable to his disability, in conformity with the Convention on the rights of Disabled Persons, ratified by Saudi Arabia on 24 June 2008.