On April 24, 2013, while human rights defender Dr. Abdulkarim Al-Khodr and his lawyer Abdulaziz Al-Shubaily were trying to enter the courtroom of the Criminal Court in Buraidah to attend the fourth hearing of his trial, it was announced by one of the soldiers that women will not be allowed to attend the trial. The order came from Judge Ibrahim Al-Hassani, who is presiding over the case. Dr. Al-Khodr and his attorney rejected this order and refused to enter the courtroom without women being permitted to attend the hearing, because the trial is public and they believe there is no reason to prevent them from entering the courtroom. The judge insisted on his order being carried out and a large number of attendees waited in front of the entrance of the courtroom, which was occupied by many military personnel in civilian clothes and military uniforms.

At exactly 9:45am a soldier took Dr. Al-Khodr to the prisoners’ waiting room where he was told that the judge had issued an order to detain him for a period of four months without determining the date of the next hearing.

The defense team already submitted a written request asking the judge to step down for personally targeting Dr. Al-Khodr and due to his previous unfair judgments against peaceful women protesters. However, Judge Al-Hassani refused to step down amid a wide range of fears amongst human rights defenders who expect that he will issue an unfair ruling against Dr. Al-Khodr.

Please check the Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR)’s previous appeals on this matter through the following link:  https://www.gc4hr.org/news/index/country/3

The GCHR deplores in the strongest terms the detention of human rights defender Dr. Al-Khodr without charge and a fair trial, and believes it’s an attempt to obstruct his legitimate and peaceful human rights work, and silence his demands for social justice and democratic reforms. Once again, the GCHR expresses grave concern about the expanded use of a politicized judiciary in Saudi Arabia in order to target human rights defenders and calls on the international community to intervene immediately to protect human rights defenders at risk in Saudi Arabia.

The Gulf Centre for Human Rights urges the Saudi Arabian authorities to:

1.  Immediately and unconditionally release human rights defenders Dr. Abdulkarim Al-Khodr and drop all charges against him as he has been targeted solely because of his peaceful and legitimate human rights work;

 2. Release all detained human rights defenders and drop all charges against them immediately and unconditionally;

3. 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 GCHR respectfully reminds you that 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, adopted by consensus by the UN General Assembly on 9 December 1998, recognizes the legitimacy of the activities of human rights defenders, their right to freedom of association and to carry out their activities without fear of reprisals. We would particularly draw your attention 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: 

1. To express your concern about the detention of human rights defenders Dr. Abdulkarim Al-Khodr and to call for his immediate release;

2. To urge the authorities in the Saudi Arabia to immediately stop targeting 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 Defence & Aviation

His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin

Abdul Aziz Al Saud

Ministry of Defence and Aviation,

Airport Road

Riyadh 11165

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Fax: +966 1 401 1336