Saudi Arabia: Detained Human Rights Defender Mohammed Albajady On Hunger Strike

Beirut, 9 March, 2012 -- Detained human rights defender Mohammed Albajady in Saudi Arabia is on hunger strike demanding his immediate release and protesting against his ill-treatment and arbitrary detention. He started the hunger strike on 21 February 2012,  in Al-Ha'ir Prison. During his detention, he was kept in solitary confinement for 4 months.

The human rights defender Mohammed Albajady, 34 years, was arrested at his home in Buraidah, Al-Qassim province by security forces on 21 March 2011 and remains in incommunicado detention since. He is a co-founder of the Saudi Civil & Political Rights Association (ACPRA), which was founded in October 2009 in Saudi Arabia and was previously the host of a weekly on-line forum entitled “The citizen and his rights”.

On 20 March 2011, human rights defender Mohammed Albajady participated in a peaceful protest outside the Ministry of the Interior in the capital Riyadh which called for the immediate release of detainees who have been kept in prison for more than a year without charges or trial being held.

During 2005, human rights defender Mohammed Albajady was arrested twice, the first arrest was for sit-in protest in solidarity with the families of political detainees, during which his father died. The second arrest was in connection with a TV talk he had given about the death of Yemeni prisoner Sultan Du'ais.

On 23 July 2009, Mohammed Albajady was informed by the passport authorities in his city Buraidah, that  a travel ban imposed on him continues to be valid.

"Mohammed Albajady shouldn't be standing trial in any court for peacefully exercising his rights to freedom of expression and assembly," siad Nabeel Rajab director of Gulf Centre Human Rights and added " "I call on the Saudi King to do everything in his power to protect and support the legitimate work of human rights defenders and also to meet all legal obligations under international law."

The Gulf Centre for Human Rights is very concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of human rights defender Mohammed Albajady, and believes that his arrest and continued incommunicado detention are related to his legitimate and peaceful work in defence of human rights in Saudi Arabia.  

strong>The Gulf Centre Human Rights calls on the authorities in Saudi Arabia to:

-Immediately and unconditionally release human rights defender Mohammed Albajady;

-Guarantee in all circumstances that all human rights defenders in Saudi Arabia are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions including judicial harassment.

The Gulf Centre for Human Rights calls your attention to the rights and fundamental freedoms guaranteed in the United Nations Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms” in particular to    Article 6 (c) “Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others: (c) To study, discuss, form and hold opinions on the observance, both in law and in practice, of all human rights and fundamental freedoms and, through these and other appropriate means, to draw public attention to those matters” and to  Article 12.2, which provides that “the State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration”.

 Please write immediately in English or in Arabic:

 • To express your concern about the continued detention of human rights defender Mohammed Albajady and to call for his immediate release;

•  To urge the authorities in the Saudi Arabia to immediately stop the targeting of human rights defenders;

Please Send Appeals now TO:

King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud

The Custodian of the two Holy Mosques

Office of His Majesty the King

Royal Court, Riyadh

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Fax:+966 1 403 3125   

Crown Prince and Minister of the Interior

His Royal Highness Prince Naif bin

Abdul Aziz Al Saud

Ministry of the Interior, P.O. Box 2933,

Airport Road

Riyadh 11134

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Fax: +966 1 403 3125 
 

The Gulf Centre for Human Rights is an independent centre and has been registered in Ireland. The Centre works to strengthen support for human rights defenders and independent journalists in Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.