Free Fouad!

Amnesty International Malaysia: Urgent Action

7 January 2008

Internet blogger Fouad Ahmad al-Farhan is reportedly being held in incommunicado detention at Dhaban Prison in the capital, Jeddah. He has been held for more than one month and is at risk of torture and other ill-treatment. He is married with two children and his family have reportedly been told that they will not be able to visit him until 30 days from the date of his detention.

Fouad Ahmad al-Farhan, who owns a small IT company called 'Smart Info', was arrested by security agents at his office on 10 December 2007. He was later taken to his home, which was subsequently searched. The Ministry of Interior acknowledged his detention on 31 December, but the exact reason for his arrest was not specified.

Fouad Ahmad al-Farhan is believed to be held for his peaceful criticism of government policies, including detentions without charge or trial of prisoners of conscience - such as nine men who have been held since 3 February 2007. Amnesty International believes they may be detained solely for their peaceful activities in defence of human rights.

Prior to his arrest Fouad Ahmad al-Farhan was reportedly warned by an official from the Interior Ministry that he was at risk of being interrogated. He believed that this would be in connection with his writings on political prisoners in his web journal.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The Saudi Arabian authorities regularly hold detainees incommunicado, when they are frequently tortured and otherwise ill-treated. Critics of the state are routinely detained indefinitely without charge or trial. Defendants are often denied the right to formal representation by a lawyer and in many cases they and their families are not informed of the progress of legal proceedings against them. Due to the high level of secrecy of the Saudi Arabian justice system, trials are invariably held behind closed doors. In the rare instances when individuals are charged and brought to trial, the proceedings invariably fail to meet the most elementary standards of fairness.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Please put your name at the end of the letters below & E-mail it back to us (ua@aimalaysia.org) and we will fax it for you. Please forward to appeal to your own mailing list if possible.

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H.E. Mohammed Reda Hussein Abu Al-Hamayel
Ambassador
Royal Embassy Of The Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia
4th Floor Wisma Chinese Chamber
No. 258 Jalan Ampang 50450 Kuala Lumpur

7 January 2008

Your Excellency,

Release Mr. Fouad Ahmad Al-Farhan immediately

I would like to express my concern about Mr. Fouad Ahmad Al-Farhan who is being held incommunicado and believed to be at risk of torture or other ill-treatment.

I hereby would like to seek the assurance from the authorities that he is protected from torture and other ill-treatment.

I call on the authorities to ensure that Mr. Fouad is given regular access to his family, lawyers of his choice and any medical attention he may require during his detention.

Lastly, I call on the authorities to immediate and unconditional release Mr. Fouad if he is being held solely for the peaceful expression of his conscientiously held beliefs or, otherwise, for the authorities to bring Fouad Ahmad Al-Farhan to trial promptly and fairly on a recognisably criminal charge.

Yours sincerely,

Name:
Location: