By Lauren Mellinger
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia– On January 11, Saudi professor and human rights advocate Matrook al-Faleh, was released from a maximum security prison near Riyadh, after being held for eight months without being charged.
Al-Faleh’s detention was in violation of the Saudi criminal code, which states that no individual may be held for more than a six month period without being charged. According to a report by Human Rights Watch, it is not clear why the Saudi government initially arrested and detained al-Faleh. However, the report stated that al-Faleh’s detention occurred just two days after he publicly criticized the prison conditions at Buraida General Prison, where the government had unlawfully imprisoned two other human rights activists at the time. Al-Faleh’s subsequent arrest and detention has been heavily criticized by both Saudi and international human rights organizations.
To focus public attention on the conditions of prisons and the 11 political detainees, including al-Faleh, held without charges, in November 2008, more than 70 people participated in a hunger strike, protesting the government’s unlawful detention of human rights advocates. The participants declared their commitment to fast for two days by using Internet forums such as facebook to publicize the strike, and remained in their homes during the strike to avoid violating a Saudi law that prohibits unauthorized public assemblies. According to Saudi human rights activist Mohammad al-Qahtani, as a result of the widespread support for the political detainees throughout Saudi Arabia following the hunger strike, several of the detainees have been released, and prison conditions have slightly improved.
Al-Faleh is a well-known advocate for reform in Saudi Arabia. In 2004, he was imprisoned after organizing a petition demanding that Saudi Arabia become a constitutional monarchy and create an elected parliament. Although initially sentenced to seven years in prison, he was freed in 2005 and was later pardoned by King Abdullah.
For more information, please see:
The National –Saudi Political Activist Released from Prison – 12 January 2009
AP –Saudi Authorities Release Activist Jailed in May – 11 January 2008
CNN – After 8 Months, Saudi Professor Released from Prison – 11 January 2009
International Herald Tribune –Saudi Reformer Freed After 8 Months in Jail – 11 January 2009
Middle East Online –Jailed Saudi Democracy Activist Freed – 11 January 2009
