Amnesty International has urged Saudi King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud to secure the release of senior Hamas official Mohamed al-Khudari and his son Hani.
“Given the current COVID-19 pandemic and Dr. Mohammed al-Khudari’s poor health we urge your Majesty to secure his release without delay. We further call on your Majesty to ensure these unfounded charges against Dr. Mohammed al-Khudari and Dr. Hani al-Khudari are dropped and that they are released. In the interim ensure that both men are protected from torture and other ill-treatment and that Dr. Mohammed al-Khudari is immediately granted adequate medical attention” Amnesty said in a letter addressed to the King’s office in Riyadh.
“There is serious concern for his health as he was detained while he was being treated for cancer. This concern has been heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic and the particular threat it poses to older prisoners and those with underlying medical conditions.”
Amnesty said it had found that the trials held recently for Palestinian detainees in Saudi jails failed to adhere to international fair trial standards and that every stage of legal proceedings were characterized by human rights abuses.
“Dr. Mohammed al-Khudari is currently detained in al-Hai’r Prison in Riyadh while his son Dr. Hani al-Khudari is detained in Dhahban Prison near Jeddah” Amnesty noted.
