Update: In addition to the releases announced in our press release of last Monday, we further welcome the release of Dr Mubarak bin Zair, son of Dr Said bin Zair. He was arrested on 21 March 2011 and was arbitrarily detained until his release yesterday, 29 February 2012. His release came after the Special Criminal Tribunal, a court of exception mandated to examine terrorist-related cases, decided on 14 February 2012 that it was not competent to consider Dr Mubarak bin Zair's case and consequently ordered his release.

Alkarama submitted to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention the cases of 12 Egyptian nationals unlawfully detained in Saudi Arabia today. Despite the long years passed since their arrests they have not been brought before a judge nor have been formally charged in violation of international law.

Saudi citizen Ali Hussein Abdallah Al Mas was arrested on 28 September 2004 and is subjected to arbitrary detention since that day. Indeed, the arbitrary nature of his detention was confirmed by a decision of the Diwan Al Madhalim (Board of Grievances), a Saudi administrative court, which ordered the relevant authorities to respect domestic law.

Alkarama learned that the Saudi Authorities released last week Mr Saed Saad Mohammed al-Hazimi who was arrested nine years ago without any legal proceedings.