Despite his difficult health conditions, Saudi authorities arrest the poet Samir Al-Muslim

“Together for Justice” strongly condemns the arbitrary arrest of the Saudi poet Samir Ali Al-Muslim and his subsequent transfer to an unknown destination without providing his family with any information regarding the reason for his detention or the right to legal representation.

According to private sources who demanded to remain anonymous for security reasons, the poet Samir Al-Muslim was arrested early in the holy month of Ramadan from his home in the Qatif region. Since then, no news has been released over his fate, amid a total blackout by the authorities over his whereabouts.

“Together for Justice” warns against forcing Al-Muslim to sign fabricated confessions, or subjecting him to any danger, especially in light of his special health conditions, as he is blind and needs special medical care, which Saudi detention facilities do not provide, particularly for prisoners of conscience.

The working group on arbitrary detention needs put pressure on the Saudi government to free the poet Samir Al-Muslim, along with all other prisoners of conscience and those held without charge or trial. We further urge the international organisations to send committees to the Kingdom immediately in order to guarantee that every detainee is granted their rights.

We urge the international community to uphold its moral obligations under international treaties and covenants, to respect human rights, and to make every effort to guarantee that human rights are respected worldwide. To this end, we ask that any cooperation with the Saudi regime be contingent on improving the country’s human rights record and enabling its citizens to exercise their right to free expression and assembly.

We declare that the poet Samir Al-Muslim’s indefinite detention without charge or trial intensifies the severity of the crime the Saudi authorities committed against him, namely his arbitrary detention over freedom of speech charges.