The Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Mary Lawler, expressed her grave concern for the health and life of the detained human rights defender in Saudi Arabia, Muhammad Al-Qahtani.
In a statement on November 9, 2022, Lawler indicated that the information confirmed that Al-Qahtani is being held incommunicado and prevented from contacting his family since he filed an official complaint about the assault on him by prison inmates.
The statement made it clear that Al-Qahtani is a founding member of the Saudi Association for Civil and Political Rights, which was dissolved in 2013. He has been sentenced to 10 years in prison since then, on charges of providing false information to external sources, including United Nations human rights mechanisms.
The Special Rapporteur indicated that the information confirmed that Al-Qahtani had not contacted his family since October 23, 2022, after submitting an official complaint about what he was exposed to in prison. The statement called on the competent authorities in Saudi Arabia to inform his family of his whereabouts and health condition and to allow his family and lawyer access to him. The European Saudi Organization for Human Rights notes that Al-Qahtani has not had a lawyer following his case for some time.
Al-Qahtani had repeatedly protested against his ill-treatment while serving his sentence in Al-Ha'ir correctional facility in Riyadh, and despite his complaints, the Saudi government refused his transfer request.
The UN expert expressed her concern about Saudi Arabia's use of solitary confinement because it constitutes a violation of the rights of detainees under international law. She explained that these methods raise serious concerns about the personal safety of detainees, as they are at increased risk of being subjected to ill-treatment and torture.
The European Saudi Organization for Human Rights confirms that the approach adopted by the Saudi government in dealing with prisons has led to the death of many detainees, including human rights defenders, and therefore the life of Al-Qahtani is in grave danger.
The organization also notes that the interruption of communication with Al-Qahtani coincided with the interruption of news about each of the human rights defenders, Muhammad Al-Rabeeah and Issa Al-Nukhaifi, which multiplies fears for their safety.
Al-Rabeeah and Al-Nukhaifi were supposed to be released during the past two months, and Al-Qahtani was supposed to be released on November 22, but the interruption of the news raises fears that they may continue to be punished and their sentences harsher due to their legitimate activities.