Human Rights Watch Calls on Bulgaria: Prevent Deportation of Saudi Activist

Human Rights Watch has called on Bulgarian authorities to immediately halt plans to deport Saudi human rights activist Abdulrahman al-Khalidi back to Saudi Arabia. According to the International Human Rights Organization, Al-Khalidi faces serious risks of arbitrary detention, torture, and an unfair trial if sent back.

Al-Khalidi, who has been advocating for prisoners' rights in Saudi Arabia and combating government propaganda, fled the country in 2013 due to safety concerns. After living in exile for nearly a decade, he sought asylum in Bulgaria in October 2021. However, the Bulgarian National Security Agency issued a deportation order for him on February 7, 2024, putting him at imminent risk of deportation.

Human Rights Watch researcher Joey Shea emphasized that al-Khalidi's deportation could expose him to detention and torture in Saudi Arabia, where he has been a vocal critic of the government. Given the well-documented abuses in the Saudi criminal justice system, Bulgaria would violate international principles by deporting him.

Bulgaria's international obligations under the Convention against Torture and the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees prohibit the return of individuals to countries where they face persecution or torture based on their political opinions. Human Rights Watch urges Bulgaria to uphold its commitments and refrain from forcibly returning al-Khalidi to Saudi Arabia.

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