05 أغسطس 2011
Detained for over a year at Dammam prison, Murad Al Mukhlif, a 36-years-old school director and father to two children, has suffered severe acts of torture. His family, who was not allowed to visit him in prison for a year, recently learned that the severe beatings he had received on his back led to the paralysis of both his legs. According to Murad, he was beaten with a wooden stick, his beard was torn, he was forced to stay in painful positions for hours and regularly deprived of sleep.
As Murad's father requested explanations regarding his son's medical condition, the prison's administration told him he had "fallen in his cell". Obviously not satisfied with this answer, he brought the case to the Ministry of Interior and asked for an investigation into the allegations of torture and that his son be immediately released. As he has still not received any response from the authorities, he filed a complaint to the administrative jurisdiction (Diwan Al Madhalim) relative to the arbitrary detention and the torture his son was subjected to. The sole answer he received was a threat of arrest if he did not stop questioning the authorities about his son's case.
Murad continues to suffer from such mistreatment, in spite of his paralysis and medical condition for which he is not treated. Those who carry out this treatment do so in total impunity. His case was submitted to the Special Rapporteur on Torture, who was requested to urgently intervene with the authorities to prevent any further persecution against Murad Al Mukhlif and his family.