Saudi Arabia Must Stop the Forced Deportation of Ahmed Fathy Kamel Kamel

Saudi Arabia is facing a critical moral and legal challenge following the arrest of Egyptian citizen Ahmed Fathy Kamel Kamel, who is at imminent risk of forced deportation to Egypt. If extradited, Ahmed faces a terrifying reality of torture, persecution, and other egregious violations of his basic human rights. He was detained on November 13, 2024, in Jeddah at the request of Egyptian authorities and now stands on the verge of being sent back to a country infamous for its systematic use of torture and repression.
Ahmed’s ordeal began with his active participation in the Arab Spring protests in 2011 and 2014, acts of peaceful dissent that made him a target of Egypt’s oppressive security apparatus. During these demonstrations, Ahmed was shot twice, leaving fragments of bullets lodged in his body, causing chronic pain and ongoing health issues. Following the 2014 protests, he was detained, tortured, and later released on bail under precarious conditions. Seeking safety, Ahmed fled to Saudi Arabia in 2014, where he has lived for nearly a decade, hoping to escape persecution.
However, in 2021, an Egyptian court sentenced Ahmed to life imprisonment in absentia on fabricated charges tied to his participation in the protests. This politically motivated verdict has placed him at risk of cross-border persecution. Now, with Saudi authorities preparing to extradite him, Ahmed’s safety and dignity hang by a thread.
On November 12, 2024, Ahmed was summoned to the South Jeddah Police Station. Assuming it was a routine inquiry, he complied. The next day, he was arrested and informed that he was being detained under extradition proceedings requested by Egypt. Since then, Ahmed has been held in inhumane conditions, with the looming threat of deportation to a country where he will likely face further torture and imprisonment.
Deportation Equals a Death Sentence
For Ahmed, forced deportation is not just a bureaucratic procedure—it is a death sentence. The decision to extradite him disregards international law and basic human decency. Together for Justice urgently calls on Saudi Arabia to halt this unjust deportation process and ensure Ahmed’s release to protect him from the horrors that await him in Egypt.
A Blatant Violation of International Law
The forced deportation of individuals to countries where they face credible risks of torture or persecution is a grave violation of the principle of non-refoulement, a foundational tenet of international human rights law. This principle is enshrined in the 1984 Convention Against Torture, which explicitly prohibits any state from returning individuals to a country where they would face torture. Article 3 of the convention states: “No State Party shall expel, return, or extradite a person to another State where there are substantial grounds for believing that he would be in danger of being subjected to torture.” Additionally, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights safeguards individuals from inhumane or degrading treatment, making deportation to such conditions an unforgivable crime.
The Global Community Must Act Now
Ahmed’s deportation would make Saudi Arabia complicit in the crimes awaiting him in Egypt, a nation with a proven record of human rights abuses, including torture, arbitrary detention, and politically motivated prosecutions. The international community must intervene immediately to prevent this humanitarian disaster. The United Nations, human rights organizations, and global advocates must pressure Saudi authorities to adhere to their international obligations and stop this unlawful extradition.
Ahmed’s case is a test of Saudi Arabia’s commitment to upholding justice and human rights. The decision to save his life is not merely a legal matter but a moral imperative. Together for Justice urges Saudi Arabia to act in accordance with international law, halt the extradition, and release Ahmed Fathy Kamel Kamel to ensure his safety and dignity.