Case History: Fadel Mekki Al-Manasef
On 9 September 2014, the Specialised Criminal Court reduced the sentence of human rights defender Mr Fadel Al-Manasef after it was reconsidered by the Specialised Criminal Court of Appeal.
The human rights defender was originally sentenced on 17 April 2014 to 15 years' imprisonment and a subsequent 15-year travel ban, as well as a fine of SAR100,000 (approx. €19,300). The Court slightly reduced the sentence to 14 years' imprisonment, to be followed by a 14 years travel ban, while maintaining the initial fine of SAR100,000.
Fadel Al-Manasef is a writer and blogger, and a founding member of Al Adalah Center for Human Rights, a Saudi Arabian NGO that documents and monitors human rights violations and provides support to victims. He has been in detention since his arrest on 2 October 2011.
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- 14 Junio 2016 : Sentencing of Mr Fadel Al-Manasef confirmed, with slight reduction of prison term
- 22 Abril 2014 : Sentencing of human rights defender Mr Fadel Al-Manasef
- 12 Octubre 2012 : One year pre-trial detention of Fadel Mekki Al-Manasef
- 11 Octubre 2011 : Arrest and incommunicado detention of Fadel Mekki Al-Manasef as part of ongoing government crackdown
On 9 September 2014, the Specialised Criminal Court reduced the sentence of human rights defender Mr Fadel Al-Manasef after it was reconsidered by the Specialised Criminal Court of Appeal.
The human rights defender was originally sentenced on 17 April 2014 to 15 years' imprisonment and a subsequent 15-year travel ban, as well as a fine of SAR100,000 (approx. €19,300). The Court slightly reduced the sentence to 14 years' imprisonment, to be followed by a 14 years travel ban, while maintaining the initial fine of SAR100,000.
The human rights defender's conviction was related to charges including “attempting to compromise the authority of the King”, “working against national security and stability”, “provoking clashes and rifts between citizens”, and “provoking sectarian conflict and calling for protests and marches”. These charges refer to articles published online by the human rights defender and to his refusal to provide the names of individuals who participated in marches. Moreover, Fadel Al-Manasef was convicted of accompanying foreign journalists to protests and communicating with foreign media agencies. Fadel Al-Manasef is entitled to submit an appeal request within thirty days.
Front Line Defenders remains gravely concerned by the prison sentence and travel ban handed down to Fadel Al-Manasef. Front Line Defenders considers the conviction and his treatment to be a direct result of the human rights defender's legitimate and peaceful human rights work. Front Line Defenders urges the authorities in Saudi Arabia to review and quash the conviction, and to release Fadel Al-Manasef.
On 17 April 2014, the Specialized Criminal Court in Riyadh sentenced human rights defender Mr Fadel Al-Manasef to 15 years' imprisonment, issued a travel ban against him for 15 years and fined him SAR100,000 (€19,300).
The sentence was issued by the Specialized Criminal Court in Riyadh, which adjudicates cases deemed to be threats to “national security”. The conviction was based on charges including “attempting to compromise the authority of the King,“ “working against national security and stability," “provoking clashes and rifts between citizens,” “provoking sectarian conflict and calling for protests and marches.” The charges refer to articles written by the human rights defender and published online, which allegedly posed a threat to national security, as well as to refusing to provide the names of individuals who participated in marches. Fadel Al-Manasef was also found guilty of accompanying foreign journalists to protests and communicating with foreign media agencies.
In the same hearing, the judge dismissed two more cases against the human rights defender dating from 2009 and 2013. During the trial, Fadel Al-Manasef declared to the court that he had been subjected to torture and other forms of ill treatment during interrogations, however the court failed to address the allegations.
Front Line Defenders is gravely concerned by the long prison sentence issued against Fadel Al-Manasef and the failure by the court to consider his allegations of torture. Front Line Defenders considers the conviction and his treatment to be a direct result of the human rights defender's legitimate and peaceful human rights work. Front Line Defenders urges the authorities in Saudi Arabia to review and quash the conviction, and proceed to the release of Fadel Al-Manasef.
Over a year after his arrest, human rights defender Mr Fadel Mekki Al-Manasef continues to be held in the General Investigations Prison in the city of Dammam.
He is being subjected to a lengthy trial process as he stands accused of sedition for participating in protests. Fadel Al-Manasef is a prominent human rights defender who brings human rights violations committed by the Saudi authorities to the attention of the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution and the National Society for Human Rights.
Since his arrest on 2 October 2011, Fadel Al-Manasef has been brought before the court on three different occasions, on 28 February, 9 April and 9 May 2012, on charges of sedition for participating in protests. A request for bail filed by his legal representative was refused during the April session and all subsequent hearings have been postponed since 9 May 2012.
Fadel Al-Manasef was not permitted visits from his family for a total of 314 consecutive days, until a visit was allowed on 11 August 2012, for the first time since his arrest. He spent four months in solitary confinement, during which he was reportedly subjected to torture, elements of which included electrocution; being hit with hands and feet; being made to stand for hours on end; being made to hold his arms above his body for prolonged periods of time and being kept shackled and blindfolded.
At the time of his arrest, Fadel Al-Manasef was involved in assisting Mr Hasan Al Zayd, who had been arrested by the authorities in lieu of his son who was being sought by the security forces. Fadel Al-Manasef visited Al-Awamiyya police station in order to inform the police that the arrest of Hasan Al Zayd was unlawful and to urge them to release him. At the police station Hasan Al Zayd felt ill as a result of a heart condition from which he suffers, and he was then taken to hospital by a Saudi Red Crescent Ambulance. The human rights defender was following the ambulance in his car when he was arrested at a police checkpoint between the towns of Al-Awamiyya and Al-Safawi.
On 2 October 2011, human rights defender Mr Fadel Mekki Al-Manasef was arrested and detained by the Saudi police at a police check point between the towns of Al-Awamiyya and Al-Safawi in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia.
It is reported that he is currently being detained incommunicado. Fadel Mekki Al-Manasef is a prominent young human rights defender who has been involved in drawing attention to human rights violations committed by the Saudi authorities, including the public prosecutor and the National Human Rights Association.
Following his arrest Fadel Mekki Al-Manasef was taken to Al-Safawi police station where it is reported that he was issued with a renewable five-day detention warrant. He was initially held there under the pretext of allegedly resisting security forces, before being moved to a police station in the city of Dhahran where he was subsequently held incommunicado in solitary confinement.
On 10 October 2011, Mr Al-Manasef was permitted to telephone his family and to tell them that he had been moved to Dammam General Directorate of Investigation Prison, where he continues to be held incommunicado.
At the time of his arrest, Fadel Mekki Al-Manasef was involved in assisting Mr Hasan Al Zayd, who had been arrested by the authorities in lieu of his son who is being sought by the security forces. Fadel Mekki Al-Manasef visited Al-Awamiyya police station in order to inform the police that the arrest of Mr Al Zayd in lieu of his son was unlawful and to urge them to release him. While at the police station Mr Al Zayd felt ill as a result of a heart condition which he suffers from. He was then taken to the intensive care unit of a hospital by a Saudi Red Crescent Ambulance in the company of another of his sons, who had accompanied Fadel Mekki Al-Manasef to the police station. The human rights defender followed them in his car only to be arrested at the following police check point.
Front Line fears that Fadel Mekki Al-Manasef may be tortured and ill-treated as punishment for his human rights work, especially considering the ill-treatment that he has recently been subjected to while in detention at the Al-Khubar Prison in the Eastern province of Saudi Arabia.
He was detained in the Al-Khubar Prison and other detention centres from 4 May 2011, before being released without charge on 22 August 2011. The Saudi security forces are notorious for their torture and ill-treatment of human rights defenders and political prisoners, particularly during incommunicado detention.
Front Line believes that the arrest and detention of Fadel Mekki Al-Manasef are directly related to his legitimate and peaceful work in defence of human rights, including his provision of legal assistance to victims of human rights violations. Front Line is gravely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity and security of Fadel Mekki Al-Manasef.
