Thank you Madam Vice-President.
The Gulf Centre for Human Rights, MENA Rights Group, and ALQST for Human Rights wish to draw attention to the ongoing arbitrary detention of numerous individuals in Saudi Arabia, subjects of opinions issued by the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.
Since 2016, the Working Group has issued 33 Opinions highlighting a systemic pattern of arbitrary detention in the country, which they have indicted could amount to a crime against humanity. Only 5 individuals have been released, often after serving lengthy prison sentences amounting to decades. Their releases remain conditional as they are subjected to arbitrary travel bans, surveillance and threats of re-arrest. Many others remain unjustly imprisoned solely for exercising their fundamental rights.
Meanwhile, amid an escalating execution crisis, several individuals, subject of past Opinions have since been executed, or are awaiting execution. Most recently, Saudi youth Jalal Labbad, was executed after having been convicted of crimes allegedly committed when he was a child. His execution raises grave fears for other child defendants at imminent risk of execution, such as Abdullah al Derazi, subject of Opinion No. 71/2024.
Given the urgency of cases involving individuals at risk of execution as well as the recent releases of several political prisoners, who nevertheless all remain under arbitrary travel bans and unable to resume their activism, we believe this is a critical moment for the Working Group to initiate a follow up procedure with the Saudi government to ensure the full and unconditional implementation of the Working Group’s Opinions and request the release of all arbitrarily detained individuals.
This statement follows a submission filed by MENA Rights Group and ALQST for Human Rights to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention regarding the situation of 49 individuals subject of Opinions.
