DOWNLOAD A PDF OF UA 72/22 BELOW
Ali Maziad’s family told Amnesty International that they immediately contacted several police stations and government agencies in Saudi Arabia to seek information about his fate and whereabouts, but the authorities provided no information to the family. In November 2021, over three months after Ali Maziad’s disappearance, the Lebanese Embassy in Riyadh informed the family that he was being detained by Saudi Arabia’s State Security without having any further information. “We don’t even know if he is alive. We haven’t had any contact with him since they [group of men] took him away,” Ali Maziad’s relative told Amnesty International.
On 4 August 2021, Ali Maziad, a 58-year-old Lebanese Shia Muslim man and Lebanese national residing in Saudi Arabia, was abducted from his house in the capital, Riyadh by a group of men in civilian clothes. The Lebanese Embassy informed his family three months after his disappearance that he is being detained by State Security. Since then, he has been forcibly disappeared and his family has no information about his fate and whereabouts. Amnesty International urges the Saudi Arabian authorities to immediately disclose the fate and whereabouts of Ali Maziad, release him and ensure he has access to medical treatment and legal representation.
Ali Maziad has been living and working in Saudi Arabia intermittently since 2004. According to his family, he takes medications to treat several health illnesses. Ali Maziad’s relative told Amnesty International: “His cancer recurrence requires proper health care and follow up. He also has diabetes, irregular heartbeats, and glaucoma—all of which requires medication.”
Write to the King urging him to:
- immediately disclose the fate and whereabouts of Ali Maziad and release him
- in the meantime, ensure that he has adequate access to health care, a lawyer of his choice and regular contact with his family
Write to:
His Majesty King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud
Office of His Majesty the King
Royal Court, Riyadh
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Fax: 011 966 11 403 3125 (please keep trying)
Twitter: @KingSalman
Salutation: Your Majesty King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud:
And copy:
Mr. Abdulaziz Mohammed H. Albadi
Chargé d’affaires
Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia
201 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, ON K1N 1K6
Fax: 613 237 0567
Email: caemb@mofa.gov.sa
Additional Information
Amnesty International has documented several cases of foreign nationals being arbitrarily detained by the Saudi Arabian authorities, accused of trumped-up charges and put through grossly unfair trials. Ten Egyptian Nubian men have been detained since 14 July 2020 and are facing trial before the Specialized Criminal Court in Riyadh in relation to a peaceful community event they had planned. At least two of the men are older people and suffer health ailments. Amnesty International urges Saudi Arabian authorities to release all the men immediately and unconditionally.
In another case, two Palestinian nationals, Dr. Mohammed al-Khudari, who is 84-years-old and advanced cancer patient and his son Hani al-Khudari, were detained on 4 April 2019 and charged before the Specialized Criminal Court with “joining a terrorist entity” – understood to be Hamas de facto authorities – as part of a mass trial of 68 individuals. Both men remain in detention despite their prison sentence ending on 28 February 2022. They have been deprived of proper health care and family contact. Amnesty International urges Saudi Arabian authorities to release both men immediately and unconditionally.
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If you want Updates on this case, send your request to urgentaction@amnesty.ca with “Keep me updated on UA 72/22” in the subject line.
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