A French national detained in Saudi Arabia for more than a year is now on trial, without legal representation or consular access, for visa irregularities arising from a common scam as well as charges relating to peaceful free expression. He has been tortured and mistreated in detention, repeatedly denied family visits, and since 5 August had no family contact at all. ALQST calls on the Saudi authorities to allow him immediate access to his family and consular representatives, and to ensure his trial meets international standards of justice.
Father of three Abdelfattah (whose full name we are not disclosing for privacy reasons) was stopped by security officials on 16 June 2024 while taking part in the Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, and was asked to show his Hajj permit. It transpired that his permit was invalid and he had unknowingly fallen victim to a visa scam, a common occurrence that the authorities are trying to crack down on. Abdelfattah was initially detained at the Haram police station and transferred the following day to Dhahban Prison near Jeddah.
He has now been in detention for more than a year, during which time he has been ill-treated and subjected several times to torture. On 23 August 2024 he was slammed against a wall during interrogation and threatened with death. On 23 December 2024 he sustained injuries to his face, hands and feet and lost consciousness after six masked guards beat him, handcuffed him and placed him in solitary confinement for a week. On 11 March 2025 he was forced to run about with his feet shackled and then placed in isolation without food for 24 hours, accused of having insulted a guard, something he firmly denies. And on 11 July, while speaking on the phone to his wife, he was beaten by guards until he lost consciousness.
Throughout his detention Abdelfattah has repeatedly been denied access to legal representation and family visits. From September 2024 until 5 August 2025 he was permitted to make weekly 15-minute phone calls to his wife, but those calls were cut off whenever he attempted to discuss his treatment in prison or provide updates on his trial. Since then all contact with his family has been prohibited. The prison authorities confirm only that he remains in custody, offering no further information about his status.
At one point Abdelfattah was told he could expect to be released before Eid al-Adha at the end of May 2025, but instead he was brought to trial on charges relating both to the visa issue – “illegal entry to Mecca” – and to peaceful free expression – “insulting the government” and “praising prosecuted individuals”, which he denies. Charges that criminalise free speech in this way are commonly invoked under repressive Saudi laws such as the Anti-Cybercrime Law to stifle legitimate criticism and peaceful dissent, in violation of international standards.
At the first hearing of his case, in the Specialised Criminal Court on 26 May 2025, Abdelfattah appeared without legal representation, and at subsequent hearings the court has indicated that if he refuses to defend himself (having been denied a lawyer) this will be treated as an admission of guilt. Abdelfattah’s family have not been allowed to attend the hearings, and French diplomats have not attended any so far, including the latest session, on 7 September.
ALQST calls on the Saudi authorities to immediately drop the charges against Abdelfattah that pertain to the peaceful exercise of his basic rights, and to uphold his right to a fair trial in line with international standards, including by ensuring legal representation and court access. Furthermore, we urge the Saudi authorities to grant Abdelfattah immediate access to his family and consular representatives, and to commission an independent investigation into his allegations of torture and ill-treatment.
