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 for protesting religious freedom conditions.

On June 29, 2017, authorities in Medina arrested al-Faraj in relation to his participation in protests against the state's treatment of Shi'a citizens in al-Qatif. Al-Faraj was 15 years old at the time of his arrest and accused of crimes that he allegedly committed when he was younger. Authorities brought al-Faraj to Al Mabahith Prison, Dammam, placing him solitary confinement for two months and torturing him into signing a confession for crimes later brought against him. Al-Faraj was reportedly not allowed to access legal counsel during his detention.

Al-Faraj was charged with “forming a terrorist cell with the purpose of harming security guards with the intent to kill, monitoring police patrols and their movements at Al-Awamiyah police station and sending information to a wanted man, covering for this individual and not providing information concerning him to the authorities, participating in protests and funerals of persons allegedly killed by the State and chanting anti-State slogans, and storing and sending information potentially harmful to public security.” The charges related to al-Faraj’s participation in protests and funerals date back to when he was 9 years old.

Prosecutors were originally pushing for al-Faraj to be executed; however, in February 2021, it was reported that prosecutors were now seeking a 10-year prison sentence for al-Faraj.

In March 2021, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention released an opinion on al-Faraj's detention, calling for his immediate release.

In September 2022, it was reported that the Specialized Criminal Court had sentenced al-Faraj to 10 years in prison.

Al-Faraj suffers from high blood pressure.

Related Cases: Ali Mohammed Al Bati, Ahmed Abdul Wahid al-Faraj, Ali Hassan al-Faraj, Mohammed Hussein Al Nimr

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