URGENT ACTION



Saudi Arabia: Detained Human Rights Defender Mohammed Albajady between life and death

http://www.gc4hr.org/news/view/116








Beirut, 10 April, 2012 -- The Gulf Centre for Human Rights has received reliable information indicating that the life of human rights defender Mohammed Albajady, currently detained in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and on hunger strike since February 21, 2012, is in imminent danger and he is at risk of dying at any moment. He has declined to take water since the morning of Saturday, April 7, 2012, which has led to his fainting on four occasions.
Detained human rights defender Mohammed Albjady is on hunger strike in Al- Ha'ir prison, demanding his immediate release and protesting against his ill-treatment and arbitrary detention, after which he was kept in solitary confinement for 4 months.



Human rights defender Mohammed Saleh Albejadi, 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 (HSM), which was founded in October 2009 in Saudi Arabia. He was previously the host of a weekly on-line forum called “The citizen and his rights”.



"Mohammed Albjady shouldn't be imprisoned for peacefully exercising his rights to freedom of expression and assembly." said Nabeel Rajab director of GCHR and added "I call on the Saudi King to immediately release him and 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 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


The GCHR 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 KSA 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 5 (b) which states that: “For the purpose of promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, at the national and international levels: (b)To form, join and participate in non-governmental organizations, associations or groups;” 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.