PUBLIC AI Index: MDE 23/026/2008

15 July 2008

Further Information on UA 81/08 (MDE 23/013/2008, 28 March 2008) Incommunicado Detention/ Fear of Torture

SAUDI ARABIA Muhammad Mahdi Khalil (m), engineer aged about 30 ]

Sayyid Ahmad ‘Alawi (m), teacher, aged about 28 ]

Majeed al-Ghasra (m), teacher, aged about 30 ]

Muhammad ‘Abdullah al-Mu’man (m), teacher, aged about 28 ] Bahraini nationals

‘Abbas Ahmad Ibrahim (m), teacher, aged about 31 ]

‘Isa ‘Abdul-Hassan Ahmad (m), teacher, aged about 26 ]

Muhammad Hassan ‘Ali Marhoun (m), teacher, aged about 30 ]

Ibrahim Marzam al-Haddad (m), teacher, aged about 28 ]

The eight Bahrainis named above were released without charge on 12 July, and have returned to Bahrain.

The eight men travelled from Bahrain to the Saudi Arabian capital, Riyadh, for a short holiday and were arrested by Saudi Arabian security forces at a checkpoint when they arrived there on 28 February. The reasons for their arrest and detention remain unclear to Amnesty International. They were held in solitary confinement throughout their detention, and did not have an opportunity to challenge the legality of their detention.

No further action is required. Many thanks to all those who campaigned on their behalf.