Saudi Arabia: Fear of torture and ill-treatment

Index Number: MDE 23/005/2007
Date Published: 1 February 2007
Categories: Middle East And North Africa, Saudi Arabia

At least 15 men (including Majid Ahmed al-Zahrani, Mohamed Misfir al-Qurashi, Mohsin Mubarek Bil'ed, Sa'eed Abdel Ghani al-Bulushi and Mohamed Falah al-Qahtani), who were exchanged during a security cooperation exercise between Saudi Arabia and Yemen, may be at risk of torture and ill-treatment. All were arrested upon arrival at their respective countries and have since been detained without regular access to families and lawyers. It appears that none of the detainees was given the opportunity to seek asylum, and that they were returned despite the risk to their safety in their native countries, in violation of international law.