After torturing and 639 days of arbitrary arrest
the health nurse presented Alzaher to court
the health nurse presented Alzaher to court
Report: European Saudi Society for Human Rights
23.10.2013
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| Zaher Alzaher accused of providing medical aid and Appears with his son Abdullah 8 years |
On 23/01/2012, the
Saudi authority arrested Zaher Abdullah Alzaher. Prior to the arresting, Alzaher
received a notice from the Qatif investigation department and accordingly he
went voluntarily, where he was arrested after the investigation and then
transferred to the General Directorate of Investigation prison in Dammam and
held to this day.
Alzaher was born in
1984, married and has an 8 years old son Abdullah. He was working as a school
health supervisor at Royal Commission in Jubail. Alzaher is a well-known social
activist and participated in many social, cultural and religious. He was also a
media activist through “Awamphoto” website where he was working with the human
right activist Fadel Manasif (currently jailed), documenting varies events [1]
.During his work as a school health supervisor, Alzaher was very eager to be
active, where he found a number of medial campaigns and also was involved in
annual health awareness campaigns.
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| Alzhare during a school health awareness presentation |
 |
| With some of the students after some health events |
In regard to the
Qatif anti-regime demonstration, since 17/02/2011 up to now, Alzhare was arrested
and mainly accused with providing a medical aid to wanted people by Saudi
authority plus being active in the media and participating peaceful protest in
Qatif.
Alzhare Spent the
first period of his detention in solitary confinement for nearly four months,
and has been to investigation accompanied by physical and psychological
torture, such as beating in various parts of the body, slapped and punching in
the face, total isolation from the outside world, no access to telephone, ban
family’s visit, and verbal and moral abuse as religious insults.
Symptoms of these
actions have been reflected negatively on Alzhare’s physically and
psychologically. Due to frequent and continues slapping on his left ear, he is
suffering from ear infection and also suffering from visual disabilities due to
long stays in inappropriate lighting.
It is been 639 days
since Alzaher was arrested and just today was his first trail in the
Specialized Criminal Court in Riyadh, which handles terrorism and national
threat cases.
Based on the circumstance of Alzaher’s case, the Saudi authority
is violating Article 114 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Saudi Arabia which
states “the detention shall end with the passage of five days, unless the investigator
sees fit to extend the detention period. In that case, he shall, prior to
expiry of that period, refer the file to the chairman of the branch of Bureau
of Investigation and Prosecution in the relevant province so that he may issue
an order for extending the period of the detention for a period or successive
periods provided that they do not exceed in their aggregate forty days from the
date of arrest, or otherwise release the accused. In the cases that require detention for a
longer period, the matter shall be referred to the Director of the Bureau of
Investigation and Prosecution to issue an order that the arrest be extended for
a period or successive periods none of which shall exceed thirty days and their
aggregate shall not exceed six months from the date of arrest of the accused,
Thereafter, the accused shall be directly transferred to the competent court,
or be released” [2] .
An early report by the Amnesty International has condemned the arrest of activists under the title “Saudi Arabic - Dissident voices stifled in the Eastern
Province Arabic Final” [3] . Also the local medial
discussed the arrest of Alzaher [4].
[1] A reported titled “AlNasfa
in the eyes of children” presented by Zaher Alzaher, filming and editing by
Fadel Manasif http://awamphoto.net/index.php?show=news&action=article&id=1526
[2] Law of Criminal Procedure http://www.boe.gov.sa/ViewSystemDetails.aspx?lang=ar&SystemID=127&languageid=2
[3] Amnesty International
report “Saudi Arabic - Dissident voices stifled in the Eastern Province Arabic
Final”
[4] Arrest of a social
activist in Awamiah…and Rights Watch Condemns https://www.rasid.com/?act=artc&id=47802
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