MDE 23/022/2011

SAUDI ARABIA                                          

Human rights activist Fadhel Maki al-Manasif was conditionally released on 22 August. He was arrested on 1 May in connection with protests in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. 

Fadhel Maki al-Manasif (previously spelled Fadel Makki al-Manasef), 26 years old,  was told on 30 April to report to the criminal investigation department at the police station in al-‘Awwamiya, a town in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. He went there the next day and was arrested, then was transferred between different police stations in the Eastern Province. On 4 May, he was moved to al-Khobar prison, also in the Eastern Province, where he was allowed to see his family and lawyer twice a week. On 18 May, he was transferred to the General Intelligence Prison in Dammam, the capital of the Eastern Province, where he was detained incommunicado again until his release. 

On 22 August, Fadhel was conditionally released. According to sources in Saudi Arabia, he has signed a pledge that he will not participate in protests again. His exact legal status is not known and it is not clear if he is facing a court case. 

Fadhel has been vocal in raising human rights concerns about the treatment of members of the Shi’a community in Saudi Arabia, including discrimination against them and the detention of individuals from the community without charge or trial for years.

No further action is requested from the UA network. Many thanks to all who sent appeals.

This is the first update of UA 180/11. Further information: http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE23/012/2011/en