Incommunicado detention of Messrs. Ahmed Al-Mshikhs and Essam Koshak

Incommunicado detention

Saudi Arabia

January 12, 2017

The Observatory forthe Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a partnership of FIDH and the WorldOrganisation Against Torture (OMCT), requests your urgent intervention in thefollowing situation in Saudi Arabia.

Description of thesituation:

The Observatory has beeninformed by reliable sources about the arrest and incommunicado detention of Messrs. Ahmed Al-Mshikhs,co-founder of Al-Adalah Centre for Human Rights in Saudi Arabia, known forpromoting protect civil and political rights in the country, and EssamKoshak, a prominent voice on issues of corruption and freedom ofexpression in Saudi Arabia.

According to the informationreceived, on January 5, 2017, Mr. Ahmed Al-Mshikhs was summoned by the CriminalInvestigation Department in Al-Qatif. On arrival, he was arrested and detainedin Al-Qatif police prison for unknown reasons. On January 8, 2017, he wastransferred to the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution in Al-Dammam.As of January 12, 2017, he remained held in Al-Dammam general prison withoutcharge, pending further investigation.

On January 8, 2017 theCriminal Investigation Department in Mecca summoned Mr. Essam Koshak. Onarrival, he was arrested for unknown reasons and detained in Al-Mansour policestation until late evening hours before being released and ordered to appearbefore the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution in Mecca the nextday. On January 9, 2017, he presented himself to the Bureau of Investigationand Public Prosecution in Mecca and was re-arrested. On January 10, 2017, theBureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution in Mecca extended his detentionfor another four days without charge, pending further investigation.

As of publication of thisappeal, both defenders had no access to their lawyers.

The Observatory condemns theincommunicado detention of Messrs. Ahmed Al-Mshikhs and Essam Koshak as itappears to be a form of retaliation for their legitimate human rightsactivities, and urgesthe authorities in Saudi Arabia to immediately and unconditionally release them.

Actions requested:

Please write to the authorities of Saudi Arabia and ask them to:

i.Guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of Messrs. Ahmed Al-Mshikhs andEssam Koshak and all humanrights defenders in Saudi Arabia;

ii. Release immediately andunconditionally Messrs.Ahmed Al-Mshikhs and Essam Koshak as their detention isarbitrary since it only seems to aim at sanctioning their human rightsactivities;

iii. Guarantee the access of Messrs. Ahmed Al-Mshikhs and Essam Koshak totheir lawyers;

iv.Put an end to all acts of harassment - including at the judicial level -against Messrs.Ahmed Al-Mshikhs and Essam Koshak and all human rights defenders inSaudi Arabia;

v.Conform in any circumstances with the provisions of the United NationsDeclaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted on December 9, 1998 by the UNGeneral Assembly, in particular its Articles 1, 6, 8, 9 and 12.2;

vi.Ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedomsin accordance with international human rights instruments ratified by SaudiArabia.

Addresses:

· His Majesty, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, King of Saudi Arabia andCustodian of the two Holy Mosques, Fax: (via Ministry of the Interior) +966 11403 3125; Email: info@moi.gov.sa

· H.E. Waleed bin Mohammad Al Samaani, Minister of Justice, Kingdom ofSaudi Arabia. Fax: + 966 11 401 1741 / + 966 11 402 0311 / +966114055399

· His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Naif bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud,Minister of Interior, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Fax: +966 11 403 3125; Email: info@moi.gov.sa

· H.E. Adel bin Ahmed El Jubeir, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fax:+966114030645; Email: info@mofa.gov.sa

· H.E. Abdulaziz Alwasil, Ambassador, Permanent Mission of the Kingdom ofSaudi Arabia to the United Nations Office in Geneva, Switzerland. Fax: +41 22758 00 00. Email: saudiamission@bluewin.ch

· H.E. Abdulrahman bin Soliman Al-Ahmed, Ambassador, Embassy of SaudiArabia in Brussels, Belgium. Fax: +32 2 6468538. Email: beemb@mofa.gov.sa

Please also write todiplomatic representations of Saudi Arabia in your respective countries.

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Paris-Geneva, January 12, 2017

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of thisappeal in your reply.

The Observatory, an FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to theprotection of human rights defenders and aims to offer them concrete support intheir time of need. FIDH and OMCT are both members of ProtectDefenders.eu,the European Union Human Rights Defenders Mechanism implemented byinternational civil society.