Press release
Geneva – May 16, 2024
UN human rights experts have condemned the prolonged solitary confinement of Saudi scholar Safar bin Abdulrahman al-Hawali, highlighting significant human rights violations, including arbitrary detention and torture. This condemnation follows a recent decision by the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).
The CRPD’s statement, published by the Human Rights Council’s media center in Geneva, reveals that al-Hawali, a prominent critic of the Saudi Crown Prince, was
arrested in 2018 without trial or necessary accommodations for his disabilities. This is detailed in a complaint filed by his nephew, shedding light on multiple abuses such as enforced disappearance, arbitrary detention, denial of due process, and inadequate medical care.
“Mr. al-Hawali has faced numerous human rights abuses over the past six years, including enforced disappearance and inhumane treatment,” said Markus Schefer, a member of the CRPD.
Now 76, al-Hawali suffers from chronic apraxia of speech due to strokes, which impairs his ability to communicate, move independently, and care for himself. His condition necessitates regular medical attention for a broken pelvis and renal failure.
In July 2018, al-Hawali and his son were detained by the Saudi Presidency of State Security without judicial orders. His family remained unaware of his whereabouts for over two months until the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances intervened. Saudi authorities subsequently confirmed his detention under the Counter-Terrorism and Financing of Terrorism Act, facilitating his prolonged detention without trial or legal counsel.
Al-Hawali was transferred to Al-Hayr Prison in Riyadh, where he reportedly received no accommodations for his disabilities, isolating him and preventing him from expressing his needs. His family reports a significant deterioration in his health during detention, with their visits severely restricted.
Schefer condemned the Saudi authorities’ actions, stating, “Even if there was a legal basis for his detention, the treatment of Mr. al-Hawali, including delays in acknowledging his whereabouts and judicial delays, is inappropriate, unjustified, and unreasonable.”
The CRPD concluded that al-Hawali’s treatment amounted to enforced disappearance and arbitrary detention. His inability to communicate and the lack of measures to facilitate his expression before the judiciary further breached his rights to justice and due process.
The Committee also noted violations of al-Hawali’s right to the highest attainable standard of health and freedom from torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading
treatment. They called on Saudi Arabia to promptly review al-Hawali’s case, ensuring a fair and public trial or his release.