The Gulf Center for Human Rights (GCHR) welcomes the release of two human rights defenders who were arrested in July in Kuwait and Oman.

On 7 August 2014, human rights defender and Bedoon community activist Abdulhakim Al-Fadhli was released after a month in detention in Kuwait. During his incarceration, he reported being on hunger strike, which he began on 10 July 2014 to protest against the ill-treatment and beating he had been subjected to by an officer belonging to the security force who arrested him on 7 July 2014.

Reports confirmed that he will appear on 4 September before the Kuwaiti Misdemeanors Court facing the charge of “assaulting a security officer.” He is scheduled also to appear in court on 7 October 2014 facing charges of “inciting the Bedoon community in Kuwait to protest.”

Also on 7 August, human rights defender Noah Al-Saadi was released in Oman without any charges. He was held incommunicado since his arrest on 13 July 2014 at the Special Division of the Omani Police in Muscat. Information received by the GCHR confirmed that he was not allowed access to a lawyer. Furthermore, he was denied any contact with his family.    

Noah Al-Saadi, a 32-year-old law student from Shinas state, is a well-known human rights defender in Oman who concentrates his activities in writing on his facebook page “Almohib Al-Saadi,” which calls for the release of all prisoners of conscience in Oman. He was wearing a t-shirt with a picture of detainees Dr. Talib Al-Maamari and Saqr Al-Balushi, who the court refused to release on bail.  

The GCHR, while welcoming the release of human rights defenders Abdulhakim Al-Fadhli and Noah Al-Saadi, calls on the authorities in Kuwait and Oman to take measures to ensure that all human rights defenders carrying out their legitimate work in human rights, are able to operate free of all restrictions and harassment, including wrongful imprisonment.