Saudi Arabia: Fear of torture or ill treatment/incommunicado detention/possible prisoners of conscience

Amnesty International

PUBLIC AI Index: MDE 23/032/2007

3 September 2007

UA 233/07 Fear of torture or ill treatment/incommunicado detention/ possible prisoners of conscience

SAUDI ARABIA Lulowa al-Dir’i (f)

Hila al-Husni (f)

Lulowa al-Husni (f)

Um ‘Abdel Rahman al ‘Awda (f)

Zainab al-Mikhlif (f)

Khowla al-Mikhlif (f)

Hila Ibrahim (f)

Tarfa Ibrahim (f)

The eight women named above, all relatives of political prisoners, were arrested on 2 September in Buraida in the al-Qassim region, north of the capital, Riyadh. According to reports, the women are being held incommunicado and may be at risk of torture or other ill-treatment. Amnesty International believes that they may have been detained solely for the non-violent expression of their beliefs, and if so, would consider them to be prisoners of conscience.

The women were arrested in connection with a protest held on 1 September in Buraida against the prolonged detention of their relatives, who are suspected of being political opponents of the government, without charge or trial, and calling for them either to be released or tried in fair and public trials.

Lulowa al-Dir’i , Hila al-Husni, Lulowa al-Husni, Um ‘Abdel Rahman al ‘Awda , Zainab al-Mikhlif , Khowla al-Mikhlif , Hila Ibrahim, Tarfa Ibrahim were reported to have taken part in the protest, which was held outside the offices of the Governate of al-Qassim region in Buraida. They were all arrested by Members of al-Mabahith al-Amma (General Investigation), one of the main arresting authorities of political suspects under the supervision of the Ministry of Interior, and are reported to be held at the Women’s Prison in Buraida.

In July 2007, another group consisting of five women protesters, all relatives of political detainees arrested between 2003 and 2007, were arrested in Buraida demanding a fair trial or release of their detained relatives. All five women were released without charge after a few days in detention (see UA 187/07, MDE 23/028/2007, 19 July 2007, and follow-up).

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Critics of the state and suspected political opponents of the authorities are invariably subjected to gross violations of their rights with total disregard for international human rights standards and Saudi Arabia’s own laws. Upon arrest, detainees are often subjected to lengthy incommunicado detention with all the risks of torture and ill-treatment this involves, indefinite detention without charge or trial, and denial of access to lawyers and the courts to challenge the legality of their detention. They may be released only after undertaking not to repeat what they were suspected of, even when this relates solely to the peaceful exercise of the right to freedom of expression and association. Political trials are rare, and invariably fall far short of international human rights standards for fair trial. Defendants are, as a rule, denied legal assistance, and in many cases they and their families are not informed of the progress of legal proceedings against them. Court hearings are often held behind closed doors. This pattern of human rights violations has been exacerbated by Saudi Arabia’s pursuit of a "war on terror" policy with total disregard for international human rights standards and the rule of law, which has resulted in thousands of people being subjected to arrest and detention over the last six years. Amnesty International does not know how many are currently held, but according to reported statement by a Ministry of Interior source there are at least 3,000 political detainees currently held without charge or trial. The Ministry is also reported to have disclosed that 9,000 political detainees have been arrested since 2003.