Saudi Arabia - Latest Publications

KSA - News

Saudi Arabia: Yemeni National Released After Over 5 Years of Arbitrary Detention

KSA - News | 24 February 2016

Alkarama welcomes the release, on 9 February 2016, of Yemeni national Awad Al Hayki, who had been arbitrarily detained in Saudi Arabia for over five years. Extradited to Saudi Arabia from Qatar on 18 October 2010, Al Hayki was severely tortured in the Al Qasim Prison, where he was detained for almost a year in solitary confinement without being able to communicate with his family. Held for over two years without charges, Al Hayki was first presented to court in 2013, after Alkarama sent his case to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (SRT) on 13 March 2013. In 2014, after two hearings, the judges decided not to charge him; nevertheless, he remained in prison until February 2016.

Saudi Arabia: UN Experts Request Immediate Release of 9 Human Rights Defenders Arbitrarily Detained

KSA - News | 05 February 2016

On 4 September 2015, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) adopted Opinion 38/2015 calling upon the Saudi authorities to immediately release nine prominent human rights defenders, including head of Monitor for Human Rights in Saudi Arabia (MHRSA) Waleed Abu Al Khair, members of the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association (ACPRA) Abdul Karim Al-Khodr, Mohammad Al Qahtani and Abdullah Al Hamid, blogger Raif Badawi and human rights defender Fadhel Al Manasif, whose case Alkarama raised with the United Nations Secretary General in view of its report on reprisals of 2011. According to the UN experts, all nine men were imprisoned solely for exercising their legitimate right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

Saudi Arabia: UN Experts Express Concern Over Torture Situation in the Country

KSA - News | 03 February 2016

On 9 December 2015, the United Nations Committee against Torture (CAT) – a body of 10 independent experts that monitors the implementation of the Convention against Torture (UNCAT) by its State parties – expressed its concern over the situation of torture in Saudi Arabia by publishing a List of Issues that should be addressed by the Saudi authorities during the country's second review at the CAT's 57th session on 22 and 25 April 2016. The experts were particularly concerned over the lack of definition of torture in Saudi legislation, the use of corporal punishments, the restriction of fundamental rights introduced by the anti-terrorism law of 2014, the repression of civil society and statements made under torture. All these issues were raised by Alkarama, the only organisation which collaborated with the CAT in this phase of the State review, in its submission sent to the UN experts on 27 July 2015.

Saudi Arabia: Arbitrary Arrest of Samar Badawi, Human Rights Activist and Sister to Raif Badawi

KSA - News | 02 February 2016

On 12 January 2016, human rights defender Samar Badawi was arrested by members of the Jeddah Bureau of Investigation and Prosecution, which had summoned her a few days before to appear for questioning. Detained with her baby daughter at the Alsalamah Police Station, she was interrogated for long hours about some tweets she posted from her Twitter account − such as congratulating human rights defender Mohamd Al Bajadi on his release in January 2015 − as well as other tweets she posted from her husband Waleed Abu Alkhair's Twitter account. Although Samar was released on 13 January, criminal proceedings against her may still be ongoing.

Saudi Arabia: UN Experts Alarmed Over Crackdown on Freedom of Expression

KSA - News | 17 December 2015

On 16 December 2015, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression (SR FRDX) David Kaye, supported by other UN experts, published a press release expressing his deep concern over the growing repression of freedom of expression in Saudi Arabia, mentioning the cases of blogger Raif Badawi and human rights defender Mikhlif Al Shammari, brought to the attention of the UN by Alkarama, as well as that of Saudi-born Palestinian poet Ashraf Fayadh.

Saudi Arabia - HR Instruments

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)

No

Convention against Torture (CAT)

CAT: Accessed on 23.09.1997
Optional Protocol: No
Art. 20 (Confidential inquiry): No
Art. 22 (Individual communications): No

State report: Overdue since 22.10.2006 (2nd)
Last concluding observations: 12.06.2002

International Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearance (CED)

No

Universal Periodic Review (UPR)

Last review: 10.2013 (2nd cycle)
Next review: -

National Human Rights Institution (NHRI)

No