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Saudi Arabia |
4 apr 2020
Amnesty International has urged Saudi King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud to secure the release of senior Hamas official Mohamed al-Khudari and his son Hani.
“Given the current COVID-19 pandemic and Dr. Mohammed al-Khudari’s poor health, we urge your Majesty to secure his release without delay. We further call on your Majesty to ensure these unfounded charges against Dr. Mohammed al-Khudari and Dr. Hani al-Khudari are dropped and that they are released.
In the interim, ensure that both men are protected from torture and other ill-treatment and that Dr. Mohammed al-Khudari is immediately granted adequate medical attention,” Amnesty said in a letter addressed to the King’s office in Riyadh.
“There is serious concern for his health as he was detained while he was being treated for cancer. This concern has been heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic and the particular threat it poses to older prisoners and those with underlying medical conditions.”
Amnesty said it had found that the trials held recently for Palestinian detainees in Saudi jails failed to adhere to international fair trial standards and that every stage of legal proceedings were characterized by human rights abuses.
“Dr. Mohammed al-Khudari is currently detained in al-Hai’r Prison in Riyadh, while his son, Dr. Hani al-Khudari, is detained in Dhahban Prison near Jeddah,” Amnesty noted.
Hamas renews appeal to Saudi Arabia to release Palestinian detainee
The Hamas Movement has renewed its appeal to the Saudi authorities to release Mohamed al-Khudari, his son and other Palestinian detainees in their jails.
In a statement on Saturday, Hamas stressed the need for releasing all Palestinian detainees in light of the spread of coronavirus and the real risks it poses to their lives.
“It has been a year since the arrest of Dr. Khudari and his son Hani in addition to dozens of our citizens and their Saudi sponsors — not for a crime they committed, but because they did not forget the Palestinian question and worked on supporting it with legal and legitimate means and in compliance with their national duty and the Saudi policy that always dealt with the Palestinian issue as the nation’s central cause,” Hamas said.
“It is unfortunate that Saudi Arabia has moved from its position as a supporter for this blessed and holy cause to a position where it is besieging it, its people and supporters,” the Movement added.
“Given the current COVID-19 pandemic and Dr. Mohammed al-Khudari’s poor health, we urge your Majesty to secure his release without delay. We further call on your Majesty to ensure these unfounded charges against Dr. Mohammed al-Khudari and Dr. Hani al-Khudari are dropped and that they are released.
In the interim, ensure that both men are protected from torture and other ill-treatment and that Dr. Mohammed al-Khudari is immediately granted adequate medical attention,” Amnesty said in a letter addressed to the King’s office in Riyadh.
“There is serious concern for his health as he was detained while he was being treated for cancer. This concern has been heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic and the particular threat it poses to older prisoners and those with underlying medical conditions.”
Amnesty said it had found that the trials held recently for Palestinian detainees in Saudi jails failed to adhere to international fair trial standards and that every stage of legal proceedings were characterized by human rights abuses.
“Dr. Mohammed al-Khudari is currently detained in al-Hai’r Prison in Riyadh, while his son, Dr. Hani al-Khudari, is detained in Dhahban Prison near Jeddah,” Amnesty noted.
Hamas renews appeal to Saudi Arabia to release Palestinian detainee
The Hamas Movement has renewed its appeal to the Saudi authorities to release Mohamed al-Khudari, his son and other Palestinian detainees in their jails.
In a statement on Saturday, Hamas stressed the need for releasing all Palestinian detainees in light of the spread of coronavirus and the real risks it poses to their lives.
“It has been a year since the arrest of Dr. Khudari and his son Hani in addition to dozens of our citizens and their Saudi sponsors — not for a crime they committed, but because they did not forget the Palestinian question and worked on supporting it with legal and legitimate means and in compliance with their national duty and the Saudi policy that always dealt with the Palestinian issue as the nation’s central cause,” Hamas said.
“It is unfortunate that Saudi Arabia has moved from its position as a supporter for this blessed and holy cause to a position where it is besieging it, its people and supporters,” the Movement added.
2 apr 2020
The Freedom for Khudari and Palestinian Detainees in Saudi Arabia Campaign on Wednesday called for a large campaign to pressure Saudi authorities to immediately release Palestinian and Jordanian activists from their jails as the Coronavirus disease continues to spread in the country.
On 4 April 2019, Saudi authorities arrested dozens of Palestinian and Jordanian activists residing in Saudi Arabia, including Hamas representative Dr. Mohammed al-Khudari, a long time Palestinian resident of Saudi Arabia and a retired physician.
The campaign said in a statement that the arrests targeted people with various roles in the Saudi society, including doctors, journalists and businessmen, which caused shock among Arab and Muslim communities, especially that Saudi Arabia had always been known for its support and embrace of the Palestinian cause.
The campaign appealed to Saudi authorities to immediately release the detainees, on top of whom Dr. al-Khudari, saying that would be an appreciated move that "opens a new page" in the Saudi-Palestinian relations.
It also urged concerned organizations, groups and individuals to support their call and take part in social media campaigns pushing for the release of the detainees.
On 4 April 2019, Saudi authorities arrested dozens of Palestinian and Jordanian activists residing in Saudi Arabia, including Hamas representative Dr. Mohammed al-Khudari, a long time Palestinian resident of Saudi Arabia and a retired physician.
The campaign said in a statement that the arrests targeted people with various roles in the Saudi society, including doctors, journalists and businessmen, which caused shock among Arab and Muslim communities, especially that Saudi Arabia had always been known for its support and embrace of the Palestinian cause.
The campaign appealed to Saudi authorities to immediately release the detainees, on top of whom Dr. al-Khudari, saying that would be an appreciated move that "opens a new page" in the Saudi-Palestinian relations.
It also urged concerned organizations, groups and individuals to support their call and take part in social media campaigns pushing for the release of the detainees.
8 mar 2020
The Saudi authorities intend to start holding trials for many Palestinians, who have been in detention, with no guilt, since last year.
According to Quds Press, about 40 Palestinians will be brought on Sunday before the first Saudi criminal court.
The Saudi authorities have not informed the detainees about the charges to be filed against them, while their families are still seeking to have lawyers to defend their relatives.
The Saudi security authorities launched last year two arrest campaigns, targeting over 60 Palestinians, and released a few number of them later. Most of them were reportedly exposed to maltreatment and torture.
The security authorities accuse those Palestinians of being involved in activities in support of their national cause or showing sympathy with Palestine. However, they are in jails with no trials or indictments.
Among the detainees is Hamas official Mohamed al-Khudari, 81, and his son Hani, 49. They were arrested on April 4, 2019.
Khudari has been living officially in Saudi Arabia for over 30 years and represented the Hamas Movement between mid-1990s and 2003 in the country.
In September 2019, the Geneva-based Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor said in a statement that “it could not give an exact number of the Palestinian detainees, but it has names of about 60 people, while estimates within the Palestinian community in Saudi Arabia says that the number far exceeds this.”
The Euro-Med Monitor, however, was able to document testimonies from 11 Palestinian families whose relatives have been arrested or forcibly disappeared in 2019 during their stay or visit to Saudi Arabia, including students, residents, academics and businessmen.
“Those people were isolated from the outside world without any specific indictments against them. They were not brought before the public prosecution, nor allowed to communicate with their relatives, or communicate with their lawyers,” Euro-Med said at the time.
According to Quds Press, about 40 Palestinians will be brought on Sunday before the first Saudi criminal court.
The Saudi authorities have not informed the detainees about the charges to be filed against them, while their families are still seeking to have lawyers to defend their relatives.
The Saudi security authorities launched last year two arrest campaigns, targeting over 60 Palestinians, and released a few number of them later. Most of them were reportedly exposed to maltreatment and torture.
The security authorities accuse those Palestinians of being involved in activities in support of their national cause or showing sympathy with Palestine. However, they are in jails with no trials or indictments.
Among the detainees is Hamas official Mohamed al-Khudari, 81, and his son Hani, 49. They were arrested on April 4, 2019.
Khudari has been living officially in Saudi Arabia for over 30 years and represented the Hamas Movement between mid-1990s and 2003 in the country.
In September 2019, the Geneva-based Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor said in a statement that “it could not give an exact number of the Palestinian detainees, but it has names of about 60 people, while estimates within the Palestinian community in Saudi Arabia says that the number far exceeds this.”
The Euro-Med Monitor, however, was able to document testimonies from 11 Palestinian families whose relatives have been arrested or forcibly disappeared in 2019 during their stay or visit to Saudi Arabia, including students, residents, academics and businessmen.
“Those people were isolated from the outside world without any specific indictments against them. They were not brought before the public prosecution, nor allowed to communicate with their relatives, or communicate with their lawyers,” Euro-Med said at the time.
28 jan 2020
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister says that residents of the Israeli regime are not welcome to visit the Arab country, a day after Tel Aviv announced that it would, for the first time, allow Israelis to travel to the kingdom under certain circumstances.
On Sunday, Israel announced that Interior Minister Arye Dery had signed a directive allowing Israelis to visit Saudi Arabia, either for religious or business purposes, provided that they are invited and permitted by Saudi authorities.
However, CNN quoted Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan as saying, on Monday, that Riyadh’s “policy is fixed,” stressing, “We do not have relations with …Israel and Israeli passport holders cannot visit the kingdom at the current time.”
According to the Israeli foreign ministry’s directive, only two groups could travel to Saudi Arabia. The first group includes Arab-Israeli Muslims who want to perform the annual Hajj pilgrimages and the Umrah (minor Hajj) in the holy city of Mecca. Arab-Israeli pilgrims have so far visited Saudi Arabia for performing such Islamic rituals on temporary Jordanian papers.
The second group consists of those Israelis who want to go to the Arab kingdom and stay there for business reasons, such as investment, and whose permission is limited to 90 days. These travelers need an invitation from Saudi authorities and are required to go through the necessary paperwork to enter the kingdom.
Until now, Israeli law banned residents from visiting many Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, without express permission from the interior minister and visits by Israeli businessmen were generally done in secret.
Elsewhere in his remarks on Monday, the Saudi FM said that when a so-called “peace agreement is reached between the Palestinians and the Israelis, I believe the issue of Israel’s involvement in the region will be on the table.”
Israel has full diplomatic relations with only two Arab states, Egypt and Jordan, but latest reports suggest the regime is working behind the scenes to establish formal contacts with Persian Gulf Arab states such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.
Riyadh has already expanded secret ties with the occupying regime under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the son of King Salman, who is viewed by many as the Kingdom’s de facto ruler.
The young prince has made it clear that he and the Israelis stand on the same front in countering Iran’s growing influence in the Middle East.
Critics say Saudi Arabia’s flirtation with Israel would undermine global efforts to isolate Tel Aviv and would undermine the Palestinian cause in general.
They say Riyadh has gone too far in its cooperation with the Israelis as a way of deterring Iran as an influential player in the region.
On Sunday, Israel announced that Interior Minister Arye Dery had signed a directive allowing Israelis to visit Saudi Arabia, either for religious or business purposes, provided that they are invited and permitted by Saudi authorities.
However, CNN quoted Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan as saying, on Monday, that Riyadh’s “policy is fixed,” stressing, “We do not have relations with …Israel and Israeli passport holders cannot visit the kingdom at the current time.”
According to the Israeli foreign ministry’s directive, only two groups could travel to Saudi Arabia. The first group includes Arab-Israeli Muslims who want to perform the annual Hajj pilgrimages and the Umrah (minor Hajj) in the holy city of Mecca. Arab-Israeli pilgrims have so far visited Saudi Arabia for performing such Islamic rituals on temporary Jordanian papers.
The second group consists of those Israelis who want to go to the Arab kingdom and stay there for business reasons, such as investment, and whose permission is limited to 90 days. These travelers need an invitation from Saudi authorities and are required to go through the necessary paperwork to enter the kingdom.
Until now, Israeli law banned residents from visiting many Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, without express permission from the interior minister and visits by Israeli businessmen were generally done in secret.
Elsewhere in his remarks on Monday, the Saudi FM said that when a so-called “peace agreement is reached between the Palestinians and the Israelis, I believe the issue of Israel’s involvement in the region will be on the table.”
Israel has full diplomatic relations with only two Arab states, Egypt and Jordan, but latest reports suggest the regime is working behind the scenes to establish formal contacts with Persian Gulf Arab states such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.
Riyadh has already expanded secret ties with the occupying regime under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the son of King Salman, who is viewed by many as the Kingdom’s de facto ruler.
The young prince has made it clear that he and the Israelis stand on the same front in countering Iran’s growing influence in the Middle East.
Critics say Saudi Arabia’s flirtation with Israel would undermine global efforts to isolate Tel Aviv and would undermine the Palestinian cause in general.
They say Riyadh has gone too far in its cooperation with the Israelis as a way of deterring Iran as an influential player in the region.
14 jan 2020
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US President Donald Trump said that he made Saudi Arabia pay the US for the increased presence of American service personnel in the region as a result of the regional tensions.
In an interview with the American TV channel Fox News, Trump said: “Saudi Arabia is paying us for [our troops]. We have a very good relationship with Saudi Arabia.” “I said, listen, you’re a very rich country. You want more troops? I’m going to send them to you, but you’ve got to pay us. They’re paying us. They’ve already deposited $1 billion in the bank.” tweet Last October the Pentagon said it approved the deployment of 3,000 additional soldiers and military equipment to Saudi Arabia after the |
country’s state-owned oil giant, Aramco, was subjected in September to a missile attack, for which Yemen’s Houthis claimed responsibility. The new military equipment included Patriot missiles, THAAD system and fighting planes.
Trump has repeatedly said he would force states to pay for US protection, often in reference to Gulf states. The region has seen unprecedented upheaval since Trump’s arrival to the Oval Office, with tensions between Saudi and Iran being at their peak and an ongoing nearly three year Arab boycott of Qatar.
Trump has repeatedly said he would force states to pay for US protection, often in reference to Gulf states. The region has seen unprecedented upheaval since Trump’s arrival to the Oval Office, with tensions between Saudi and Iran being at their peak and an ongoing nearly three year Arab boycott of Qatar.
