On 15 April 2014, Mr Waleed Sami Abu Al-Khair, lawyer, human rights activist and founder and director of Monitor of Human Rights in Saudi Arabia (MHRSA), attended the fifth session of the trial at the Specialized Criminal Court. Family of waleed didn’t hear about him after the end of the working hours of the court.
In the next day, 16 April, MHRSA had been informed that he had been arrested and taken to Al Hair prison (in Riyadh) in the middle of his trial. and no further information about the circumstances surrounding his arrest had been given.
On 22 April, MHRSA had been confirmed that he is being subjected to inhumane treatment amounting to torture. Waleed is being exposed to bright lights directly onto his face constantly to deprive him of sleep, since his illegal detention.
On 24 April, MHRSA has been confirmed that’s morning (24th April 2014) Waleed has been transferred from Al Hair prison to a detention center for the Criminal Investigations. also MHRSA has been confirmed that Waleed requires access to his medications and personal belongings which are in Jeddah. On 27 April, Waleed Abu Al-Khair has been transferred from the detention centre for the Criminal Investigation in Riyadh to Al Malaz Prison.
On 28 May, While the 7th session in The Specialized Criminal Court, the judge, Yousef Al-Ghamdi decided that Waleed is under the anti-terrorism law, and he was arrested according to this law.
On 26 June, While the 8th session in The Specialized Criminal Court, Waleed insisted that he doesn’t admit the court or its legitimacy and will not respond to it in a three-page note he wrote stating his reasons. He starts it saying: “I believe this court lack justice and that the judge is not impartial”. He ended his speech by calling on “all who stand in my position not to admit such court and must not respond to such a trial”.
On 06 July, While the 10th session in The Specialized Criminal Court, The judge Sentenced Waleed Abu Al-Khair To 15 Years in Jail.
The judge began his judgment statement saying:
( I have found evidences of the following charges against the defendant Waleed Abulkhair:
1. Seek to disarm the state legitimacy.
2. Abuse of public order in the state and its officials.
3. Inciting public opinion and insulting the diminution of the judiciary.
4. Publicly defaming in the judiciary and discrediting Saudi Arabia through alienating international organizations against the Kingdom and make statements and documents to harm the reputation of the Kingdom to incite and alienate them.
5. Adopting an unauthorized association and being its chairman speaking on its behalf and issuing statements and communicating through it.
6. Preparing, storing and sending what would prejudice public order.)
Then, the judge said: ” Accordingly, we make our final judgment as follows:
– A 15-year-prison starting from the date of his suspension (14/06/1435 – 14/4/2014) and 5 years suspended.
– A fine of two hundred thousand riyals in accordance with Article 21 of the crimes of terrorism.
– In addition to preventing him from traveling another 15 years starting from the expiry of the term of imprisonment.
– shutting down all Web sites related to him.”
Waleed Abulkhair Blog 