Syrian human rights defender deported back to Syria after nearly 10 months of detention in Turkey
Name(s):
Mohammed al-Kayali
Status:
Released
Profession:
Web Designer
Nationality:
Syrian
Date of arrest:
Mohammed al-Kayali is a Syrian national and human rights defender who lived in Syria until 2004. He fled from Syria that year after receiving threats by the Syrian authorities for speaking out against the Assad regime. After living in Saudi Arabia for a few years, he travelled to Turkey and sought asylum there. In 2022, he was informed by Turkish authorities of an INTERPOL Red Notice requested by Saudi Arabia in 2016. On December 28, 2024, he was arrested by Turkish authorities and detained in the Kirklaerli Province, with an imminent risk of extradition to Saudi Arabia. After nearly 10 months of detention, on October 27, 2025, he was deported back to Syria.
Mohammed al-Kayali is a Syrian national and human rights defender. He participated in protests and opposition activities at the University of Aleppo in 2004 and was forced to flee Syria. He went to Saudi Arabia that year and continued his studies there. He carried on speaking out on social media against the Assad regime whilst in Saudi Arabia between 2011 and 2013.
Fearing for his safety as a vocal human rights defender, he fled to Turkey on February 6, 2013 particularly in light of Saudi Arabia’s crackdown on civil society actors. In Turkey, he spoke out on social media against the harsh conditions of Syrian refugees in Saudi Arabia and participated in Syrian civil society initiatives in Istanbul and Gaziantep supporting the Syrian revolution.
After applying for Turkish citizenship in 2018, Mr. al-Kayali was informed in 2022 by his Turkish lawyers that his application is rejected due to an INTERPOL Red Notice that was issued against him with no additional information.
On November 23, 2023, Mr. al-Kayali submitted a request for access to the Commission for the Control of INTERPOL’s Files (CCF). On December 29, 2023, the CCF responded, informing him that the Red Notice was issued by the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution in Saudi Arabia on January 3, 2016. On March 26, 2024, Mr. al-Kayali sent another letter to the CCF expressing the ‘legal limbo’ he was put in because of the Red Notice, but has never received a response.
On the morning of December 28, 2024, Mr. al-Kayali was arrested by Turkish authorities and brought to an unknown location. Later that day, he confirmed his transfer to a deportation center on the outskirts of Istanbul. On December 30, 2024, he was transferred to Pehlivanköy Geri Gönderme Merkezi deportation center in Kirklareli Province. He has been detained there since and has been suffering from serious health issues. He is at imminent risk of extradition to Saudi Arabia where he risks being subjected to torture and acts of ill-treatment due to his status as a human rights defender and his social media activity.
In April 2025, MENA Rights Group submits an urgent appeal to the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture and UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights Defenders.
On May 3, 2025, UN human rights experts sent a communication to the Turkish authorities, expressing alarm over the risk of imminent extradition of al-Kayali to Saudi Arabia. They raised concerns that there were substantial grounds to believe that al-Kalyali would face a risk of torture and/or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment or other irreparable harm, if sent to Saudi Arabia. They also referred to Turkey’s non-refoulment obligations under international law and called for any plans to transfer al-Kalyali to Saudi Arabia to be halted.
On July 25, 2025, INTERPOL lifted the Red Notice issued against al-Kayali.
After nearly 10 months of detention, the Turkish authorities deported al-Kayali to Syria on October 27, 2025.
| Name(s): |
Mohammed al-Kayali
|
| Status: |
Released
|
| Profession: |
Web Designer
|
| Nationality: |
Syrian
|
| Date of arrest: |
|
Mohammed al-Kayali is a Syrian national and human rights defender. He participated in protests and opposition activities at the University of Aleppo in 2004 and was forced to flee Syria. He went to Saudi Arabia that year and continued his studies there. He carried on speaking out on social media against the Assad regime whilst in Saudi Arabia between 2011 and 2013.
Fearing for his safety as a vocal human rights defender, he fled to Turkey on February 6, 2013 particularly in light of Saudi Arabia’s crackdown on civil society actors. In Turkey, he spoke out on social media against the harsh conditions of Syrian refugees in Saudi Arabia and participated in Syrian civil society initiatives in Istanbul and Gaziantep supporting the Syrian revolution.
After applying for Turkish citizenship in 2018, Mr. al-Kayali was informed in 2022 by his Turkish lawyers that his application is rejected due to an INTERPOL Red Notice that was issued against him with no additional information.
On November 23, 2023, Mr. al-Kayali submitted a request for access to the Commission for the Control of INTERPOL’s Files (CCF). On December 29, 2023, the CCF responded, informing him that the Red Notice was issued by the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution in Saudi Arabia on January 3, 2016. On March 26, 2024, Mr. al-Kayali sent another letter to the CCF expressing the ‘legal limbo’ he was put in because of the Red Notice, but has never received a response.
On the morning of December 28, 2024, Mr. al-Kayali was arrested by Turkish authorities and brought to an unknown location. Later that day, he confirmed his transfer to a deportation center on the outskirts of Istanbul. On December 30, 2024, he was transferred to Pehlivanköy Geri Gönderme Merkezi deportation center in Kirklareli Province. He has been detained there since and has been suffering from serious health issues. He is at imminent risk of extradition to Saudi Arabia where he risks being subjected to torture and acts of ill-treatment due to his status as a human rights defender and his social media activity.
In April 2025, MENA Rights Group submits an urgent appeal to the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture and UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights Defenders.
On May 3, 2025, UN human rights experts sent a communication to the Turkish authorities, expressing alarm over the risk of imminent extradition of al-Kayali to Saudi Arabia. They raised concerns that there were substantial grounds to believe that al-Kalyali would face a risk of torture and/or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment or other irreparable harm, if sent to Saudi Arabia. They also referred to Turkey’s non-refoulment obligations under international law and called for any plans to transfer al-Kalyali to Saudi Arabia to be halted.
On July 25, 2025, INTERPOL lifted the Red Notice issued against al-Kayali.
After nearly 10 months of detention, the Turkish authorities deported al-Kayali to Syria on October 27, 2025.
