Abdulrahman Al-Khalidi: Four Years in Limbo as Bulgaria Extends His Detention Again

Together for Justice expresses its deep concern and strong condemnation of the continued detention of Saudi activist and journalist Abdulrahman Al-Khalidi in Bulgaria, following a new decision issued on 26 September 2025 to extend his administrative detention for another six months—despite multiple court rulings ordering his release. This latest move highlights Bulgaria’s growing complicity with the Saudi regime and its blatant disregard for international and European law.

Al-Khalidi’s ordeal began in October 2021, when he was arrested upon crossing the Turkish-Bulgarian border while seeking asylum to escape persecution in Saudi Arabia for his political and journalistic activities. Since then, he has been held at the Busmantsi detention centre near Sofia in degrading conditions, deprived of medical care and subjected to repeated psychological pressure and intimidation.

In October 2024, the Sofia Administrative Court issued a shocking ruling approving his deportation to Saudi Arabia, dismissing the real and well-documented risks of torture, enforced disappearance, or execution he would face there. The court’s reasoning—citing that “Saudi Arabia is not at war” and that it “enjoys a democratic local system under Islamic law”—exposed the degree to which political considerations overshadow the rule of law in this case.

However, in March 2025, the same court issued a final and non-appealable decision ordering Al-Khalidi’s immediate release, reaffirming his right to protection under EU and international refugee law. Rather than implementing the decision, Bulgarian authorities once again summoned him under the pretext of “deportation procedures,” confiscated his phone, and forced him to sign documents under duress—without legal representation or translation.

Despite clear judicial orders and warnings from human rights organizations, Bulgaria has persisted in unlawfully detaining Al-Khalidi, invoking vague “national security concerns” that have never been substantiated. The September 2025 decision to extend his detention for another six months represents a direct violation of EU law, which explicitly prohibits arbitrary and prolonged administrative detention without demonstrable necessity.

Throughout his four-year ordeal, Al-Khalidi’s health has sharply deteriorated. He suffers from heart problems and panic attacks, yet he is systematically denied access to medication unless he agrees to participate in illegal interrogations conducted by Bulgaria’s National Security Agency (SANS). In July 2024, he staged a hunger strike that lasted 104 days, protesting his continued detention and mistreatment, before ending it due to severe health complications. Reports also indicate that Bulgarian authorities have coordinated directly with Saudi officials to facilitate his deportation on a private flight—an act that would constitute refoulement, a grave breach of international law.

This case exemplifies a wider pattern of political bargaining between European states and authoritarian regimes. By continuing to detain Al-Khalidi and ignoring judicial rulings, Bulgaria has become a partner in repression, violating its obligations under the 1951 Refugee Convention, the European Convention on Human Rights, and the Convention Against Torture.

Together for Justice holds the Bulgarian authorities fully responsible for Al-Khalidi’s safety and demands:

• His immediate and unconditional release, and the full implementation of the March 2025 court ruling.
• The complete suspension of any deportation procedures and assurance of his access to international protection and urgent medical care.
• An independent European investigation into Bulgaria’s actions and its coordination with Saudi officials.
• Accountability measures and sanctions against those responsible for this grave abuse of power.

The deportation of Abdulrahman Al-Khalidi would be a death sentence disguised as diplomacy. Each day he remains unlawfully detained is a new stain on Europe’s human rights record.

Together for Justice calls on the European Union, the United Nations, and all human rights defenders to take urgent action—before it is too late.