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On 24 April 2016, Issa Al Hamid, president of the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association (ACPRA), was sentenced to nine years of imprisonment and a consecutive nine-year travel ban by the Specialised Criminal Court, following an unfair trial during which he was denied access to a lawyer and to the prosecution file, preventing him from preparing his defence. All hearings and sentencing were carried out in private, denying the public access to the trial.

As a party to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (UNCAT), Saudi Arabia is reviewed by the United Nations Committee against Torture (CAT), which assesses the country's compliance with its obligations under the UNCAT.

ID photo of Waleed Al-HussainAlkarama welcomes the recent release of Waleed Al Dod Al Mekki Al Hussain, a Sudanese national who was arrested by the Saudi General Intelligence forces on 23 July 2015.

On 17 March 2013, 38-year-old sheikh Badr Halal Jasem Al Taleb was arrested at his house without a warrant by members of the police and the General Investigation Directorate (or "Mabahith") forces under the control of the Ministry of Interior responsible for investigating security related crimes, and taken to Riyadh Hair Prison.

Alkarama welcomes the release, on 9 February 2016, of Yemeni national Awad Al Hayki, who had been arbitrarily detained in Saudi Arabia for over five years.

On 4 September 2015, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) adopted Opinion 38/2015 calling upon the Saudi authorities to immediately release nine prominent human rights defenders, including head of Monitor for Human Rights in Saudi Arabia (MHRSA) Waleed Abu Al

On 9 December 2015, the United Nations Committee against Torture (CAT) – a body of 10 independent experts that monitors the implementation of the Convention against Torture (UNCAT) by its State parties – expressed its concern over the situation of torture in Saudi Arabia by publishing a

On 12 January 2016, human rights defender Samar Badawi was arrested by members of the Jeddah Bureau of Investigation and Prosecution, which had summoned her a few days before to appear for questioning.

On 16 December 2015, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression (SR FRDX) David Kaye, supported by other UN experts, published a press release expressing his deep concern over the growing repression of freedom of expression in Saudi Arabia, ment

On 6 November 2014, human rights defender and writer Mikhlif Al Shammari was sentenced to two years imprisonment and 200 lashes after a single hearing for a tweet stating that he had faith in tolerance between Sunni and Shia and announcing that he will pray for that in a Shia mosque as a sign of solidarity, being himself Sunni.