Originally posted to The Middle East Monitor website, 8 March 2022
Arab Organisation for Human Rights in UK (AOHR UK) has warned of the serious health deterioration of Dr. Muhammad Al-Khudari (84 years old) as he is denied of his essential medical treatment in Saudi custody.
Dr. Muhammad Al-Khudari, held in Abha prison, is being deprived of adequate medical treatment for his cancer under flimsy pretexts.
AOHR UK also underlined that the Saudi authorities refused, more than once, his release appeals over health reasons, although he continues to be held beyond his release date.
Al-Khudari was detained in February 2019 during a mass arrest campaign targeting Palestinian and Jordanian nationals. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison for supporting the Palestinian cause. His prison sentence was later reduced to 6 years, wholly suspended for three years.
During his detention, Al-Khudari was subjected to ill-treatment, worsening his difficult health condition.
He lost his ability to move and hear, and suffers from sharp pain all over his body due to his inhuman and life-threatening detention conditions.
AOHR UK considers Al-Khudari’s continued detention without any legal basis, despite his critical health situation as a death penalty order, holding Saudi authorities responsible for his safety.
AOHR UK also called on the UN Secretary-General and the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention to pressure the Saudi authorities to release all Palestinian and Jordanian prisoners held on political charges, beginning with Dr. Al-Khudari.
