Additional Name(s): أحمد عبد الواحد الفرج
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Saudi Arabia
Ethnic Group: Arab
Religion or Belief: Muslim – Shi'a
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Date of Detainment: June/29/2017
Current Status: Not Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment
Reason for Persecution: Attending a Religious Gathering or Meeting Children’s Rights Protesting Religious Freedom Conditions Religious Identity
Nature of Charges: Illegal Assembly Terrorism
Ahmed Abdul Wahid al-Faraj
Extra Bio Info:
Ahmed Abdul Wahid is detained for his religious identity and religious freedom advocacy.
In June 2017, authorities in Medina arrested al-Faraj for protesting against the state's treatment of Shi'a citizens in al-Qatif. Al-Faraj was 18 years old at the time of his arrest and accused of crimes that he allegedly committed when he was a minor, as young as 13. Authorities charged al-Faraj with “seeking to destabilize the social fabric by participating in protests and funeral processions” and “chanting slogans hostile to the regime,” amongst others.
Prosecutors originally sought the death penalty before seeking a 10-year prison sentence.
Publicly Available Information:
- “2020 Report on International Religious Freedom: Saudi Arabia” U.S. Department of State
- “Saudi Arabia: Alleged Child Offenders Face Death Sentences” Human Rights Watch
- “After long hiatus, court resumes trial of minors, and the prosecution insists the death penalty” European Saudi Organization for Human Rights (ESOHR)
- “After announcing review of death sentences against three minors, Public Prosecution continues to seek execution of others, including three in one case” European Saudi Organization for Human Rights (ESOHR)
- “منظمة حقوقية: السعودية تريد إعدام 5 شباب على خلفية أحداث القطيف” France 24
Additional Name(s): علي حسن الفرج
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Saudi Arabia
Ethnic Group: Arab
Religion or Belief: Muslim – Shi'a
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Date of Detainment: June/29/2017
Current Status: Not Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment
Reason for Persecution: Attending a Religious Gathering or Meeting Children’s Rights Protesting Religious Freedom Conditions Religious Identity
Nature of Charges: Illegal Assembly Terrorism
Ali Hassan al-Faraj
Extra Bio Info:
Ali Hassan al-Faraj is detained for his religious identity and religious freedom advocacy.
In June 2017, authorities in Medina arrested al-Faraj for protesting against the state's treatment of Shi'a citizens in al-Qatif. Al-Faraj was 21 years old at the time of his arrest and accused of crimes that he allegedly committed when he was a minor. Authorities charged al-Faraj with “seeking to destabilize the social fabric by participating in protests and funeral processions” and “chanting slogans hostile to the regime,” amongst others.
Prosecutors originally sought the death penalty before seeking a 10-year prison sentence.
Publicly Available Information:
- “2020 Report on International Religious Freedom: Saudi Arabia” U.S. Department of State
- “Saudi Arabia: Alleged Child Offenders Face Death Sentences” Human Rights Watch
- “After long hiatus, court resumes trial of minors, and the prosecution insists the death penalty” European Saudi Organization for Human Rights (ESOHR)
- “After announcing review of death sentences against three minors, Public Prosecution continues to seek execution of others, including three in one case” European Saudi Organization for Human Rights (ESOHR)
- “منظمة حقوقية: السعودية تريد إعدام 5 شباب على خلفية أحداث القطيف” France 24
Additional Name(s): Mohammed Essam Al-Faraj, محمد عصام الفرج
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Saudi Arabia
Ethnic Group: Arab
Religion or Belief: Muslim – Shi'a
Health Concerns: High blood pressure
Reports of Torture: Yes
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Date of Detainment: June/29/2017
Current Status: Not Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Reason for Persecution: Attending a Religious Gathering or Meeting Children’s Rights Protesting Religious Freedom Conditions Religious Identity
Nature of Charges: Aid & Abetment Illegal Assembly Spreading Propaganda & False or Misleading Ideas, Information, or Materials Terrorism
Mohammed Issam al-Faraj
Extra Bio Info:
Mohammed Issam al-Faraj is imprisoned for his religious identity and religious freedom advocacy.
On June 29, 2017, authorities in Medina arrested al-Faraj for protesting the state's treatment of Shi'a citizens in al-Qatif. Authorities placed al-Faraj in solitary confinement for two months at Al Mabahith Prison, denied him access to legal counsel, and tortured him into signing a confession.
Authorities charged al-Faraj, 15 years old at the time, with various crimes dating back to when he was 9 years old, including participating in protests and funerals of individuals killed by the regime and chanting anti-government slogans. Prosecutors sought the death penalty.
The Specialized Criminal Court sentenced al-Faraj to 10 years' imprisonment.
Publicly Available Information:
- European Saudi organisation for Human Rights, Tweet, September 26, 2022
- “2020 Report on International Religious Freedom: Saudi Arabia” U.S. Department of State
- “Opinion No. 92/2020 concerning Mohammed Essam Al-Faraj (Saudi Arabia)” UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention
- “Saudi Arabia: Alleged Child Offenders Face Death Sentences” Human Rights Watch
- “‘He was nine’: The Saudi minors still on death row despite royal decree” The Guardian
- “After long hiatus, court resumes trial of minors, and the prosecution insists the death penalty” European Saudi Organization for Human Rights (ESOHR)
- “After announcing review of death sentences against three minors, Public Prosecution continues to seek execution of others, including three in one case” European Saudi Organization for Human Rights (ESOHR)
- “منظمة حقوقية: السعودية تريد إعدام 5 شباب على خلفية أحداث القطيف” France 24