In the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, the European Saudi Organization for Human Rights held a seminar entitled: Torture in Saudi Arabia: Royal Tool to Intimidate the Nation.
The seminar, which was broadcast online on June 29, 2021, was hosted by Duaa Dhainy, a researcher at the European Saudi Organization for Human Rights and it was attended by Lisa kretschmer from Reporters Without Borders and Lina Al-Hathloul a human rights activist and defender, and the legal advisor of the European Saudi Organization Taha Al-Al-Hajji.
Dhainy opened the seminar by referring to the organization publish of a report entitled: Torture in Saudi Arabia, a Royal Tool to Intimidate the Country. She explained that the report highlighted the environment in prisons and detention centers in Saudi Arabia, which allows torture to be practiced widely without holding torturers accountable.
And based on cases documented by the organization, the report found that Saudi Arabia’s official agencies, including the judiciary and the Presidency of State Security, which affiliate directly to King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, are directly responsible for torture.
Lisa Kretschmer from Reporters without Borders, said that the organization had filed a complaint against Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and other suspects for crimes against humanity. She explained that this was available under the universal jurisdiction of Germany so that the judiciary could hold to account those responsible for large-scale crimes even if they didn’t occur in Germany. Torture was among the crimes against humanity covered by the law.
Kretschmer noted that several factors must be included in such cases, including proof of their existence, and that they are widely spread in the regime, as is the case in Saudi Arabia.
The complaint is based on 300 cases where the crown prince was found guilty and was filed in March 2021 after the CIA report confirmed Bin Salman’s involvement in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
After the case is analyzed and then investigated, accountability is expected and Saudi officials are in a position of self-defense, she said, noting that there is a possibility to lift the immunity of suspects and this is the primary goal of the complaint.
Activist Lina Alhathloul described what her sister, human rights defender Loujain Alhathloul, has been subjected to over 3 years of detention. She mentioned that Loujain was held in a secret prison where she was tortured with electricity and threatened with rape and murder, especially by high-level officials, not just guards but assistants of Mohammed bin Salman Alhathloul said that the torturers were proud of what they had done for weeks.
Alhathloul said she believes that torture is within the system, especially because of the lack of accountability of the torturers. She explained that Loujain has submitted complaints to the prison administration and the Human Rights Commission that she was tortured, but they categorically denied.
And after two years of detention, the Human Rights Commission has reopened the investigation about torture, and denied it. Lina said that the torture of Loujain continued through all stages of her detention. She was prevented from communicating with her family and was deprived of the most basic rights which is another form of torture Alhathloul says that the main aim of the torture is to break the psyche of detainees and then prevent them from speaking about what they were subjected toز Alhathloul asserts that the society and organizations have a major responsibility to provide psychological support to torture victims, to believe them and not to question what they have experienced. She stressed the importance of continuing to talk about violations and not remaining silent because the Saudi government’s goal is to keep silence and thus prevent the accountability of criminals.
Taha al-Hajji, the legal advisor at the European Saudi Organization for Human Rights, said that torture in Saudi Arabia is a systematic practice under the guidance of high-level officials and cannot be held accountable only for a military or an investigator. This responsibility is provided in the Saudi laws, which confirm that the organs responsible for torture are linked directly to the king and to the crown prince.
Al-Hajji said that there are many organs involved in torture, either directly or by secret entities whose role is to justify and legitimize torture. He explained that during investigations and pleadings, and before that during detention, a series of violations took place, which confirms that it is an integrated system practicing torture.
Al-Hajji explained that when someone, especially prisoners of conscience or activists, is arrested, he is thrown into solitary confinement for a long period of three months and may exceed a year. At this time, torture is practiced, communication with the outside world is prevented and lawyers are prevented from attending sessions. This period is exactly the period of torture, he said, because security forces are alone with the detainee.
Al-Hajji mentioned the case of the activist Fadhel Al-Manasf, who had the torture signs on his feet after the start of the trial, but when he showed evidence to the Judge, the judge’s response was that it could not be proved to be signs of torture, even though it’s the judge’s responsibility to investigate any complaints of torture.
Al-Hajji noted that in most cases, lawyers in the proceedings ask to investigate torture and the extracted confessions, but the judiciary do not respond to these appeals. He mentioned that the demands might be medical reports from prison hospitals, a confrontation with investigators or camera recordings, but all requests were denied.
Al-Hajji talked about the case of activist Mohammed al-Zanadi, who was arrested after being shot and interrogated while in a very bad health condition. He was kept chained for long periods and the bullets were left in his body. they exploited from his health situation and his severe pain and they extracted his confessions in this status.
Al-Hajji confirmed that the Human Rights Commission’s role is limited in justifying and covering up violations, and that as all bodies are linked to King Salman Bin Abd Al-Aziz, the torturers are confident of not being held accountable. Al-Hajji concluded that, even after a time, the torturers would be held accountable.