Saudi Arabia detains an Egyptian lawyer for defending Egyptian detainees in its prisons
Cairo 21 April 2012
ANHRI denounces the continued hostility by the Saudi authorities of the right to freedom of expression throwing against a wall all human rights and freedoms. As Saudi security forces arrested the Egyptian lawyer “Ahmed Algizawy” the moment he arrived at Jeddah airport for a journey of Umrah” last Tuesday for his criticism of the Saudi government, and filing a case to the Egyptian judiciary against Saudi King to demand the release of Egyptian illegally poisoned in Saudi Arabia.
“Algizawy” travelled to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday 17 April with his wife to perform Umrah, and upon arrival to Jeddah airport they were shocked by his arrest for the application of the rule issued by the Saudi courts to prison him for a year after 20 skin lashes because of his defense of Egyptian detainees inside Saudi prisons on arbitrary charges and facing the king with criticism in a speech to a TV channel. “Algizawy” criticized the Saudi repression of Egyptians living in Saudi territory and filed a case on Saudi Arabia calling for forcing Saudi authorities to hand over Egyptians detained in its custody, accusing the Saudi King himself.
Since his arrest and till now Algizawy’s fate is unknown with no information about his place.
ANHRI expressed its shock of Saudi courts to prosecute an Egyptian citizen and render a judgment against him without being notified of the charges and without even his defense attendance, all because of his criticism of the authorities violating rights of Egyptian citizens in its territory detaining them in violation of the law.
ANHRI said: “The Saudi authorities that is one of the worst Arab dictatorships hostile to public freedoms and human rights not only arrest citizens on its territory but also harass anyone who dares to claim the rights of these citizens as what previously happened with the Saudi activist Walid Abulkhair when trialed and suffered harassment because of his defense of the rights of detainees but the violation this time is against an Egyptian lawyer used his legitimate right to express and litigation.”
“Egyptian Foreign Ministry should play its role protecting Egyptian citizens abroad and react differently from the former regime that used to collude Saudi authorities in its violations against Egyptians living within its territory, especially since the incident of Ahmed Algizawa is just the latest in a long series of attacks on the rights of Egyptians in Saudi Arabia not forgetting the Egyptian authorities’ ignorance of our continued calls to intervene for the release of the young innocent Egyptian prisoner Youseph Ashmawi in Saudi prisons”. ANHRI added.