ALQST for Human Rights-Political Prisoners

Personal information

Sex: Male
Place of residence: Jeddah

Abdulmajeed Abdulaziz Al Zahrani is one of the brothers (the other brother, Ahmad, was also arrested with Ahmed) of political activist Omar Al Zahrani, who resides in Canada. The arrests of Abdulmajeed and Ahmad came two weeks after Omar received threats due to his online human rights activism. Since Abdulmajeed and Ahmad were not politically active, it is believed that their arrests were intended to pressure Omar to stop his activism.

Arrest and jail information

Date of arrest: 21 August 2018
Manner of arrest: On August 7, Omar’s brothers, then 25-year-old Ahmad and then 19-year-old Abdulmajeed, were arrested after officers of the State Security Services raided their family home in the Al Rawdah district of Jeddah, and took them to the Dhahban prison. Ahmad and Abdulmajeed were interrogated and pressured to convince Omar to stop his activism, before subsequently being released. Omar Al Zahrani did not stop his activism, and a few days later, Ahmad and Abdulmajeed were asked to return to Dhahban prison for further interrogation. They were again pressured – and Ahmad subjected to electrocution – to convince Omar to immediately stop his activism, and released thereafter. The two brothers were summoned to Dhahban prison again on August 21. Their father, Abdulaziz, drove them to the prison and waited for them outside. Four hours later, prison personnel told Abdulaziz to go home and that his sons would not be coming with him.

Trial information

Court: Specialised Criminal Court (SCC)

Violations

Arbitrary arrest/ detention ,
Enforced disappearance ,
Denied contact with family ,
Denied access to a lawyer ,
Torture and ill-treatment ,
Observers denied access to court hearings

Timeline

21 August 2018 - The two brothers were summoned to Dhahban prison again on August 21. Their father, Abdulaziz, drove them to the prison and waited for them outside. Four hours later, prison personnel told Abdulaziz to go home and that his sons would not be coming with him.
7 August 2018 - On August 7, Omar’s brothers, then 25-year-old Ahmad and then 19-year-old Abdulmajeed, were arrested after officers of the State Security Services raided their family home in the Al Rawdah district of Jeddah, and took them to the Dhahban prison. Ahmad and Abdulmajeed were interrogated and pressured to convince Omar to stop his activism, before subsequently being released.