Amnesty International has said that “the health of 83-year-old Palestinian national detained in Saudi Arabia Dr. Mohammed al-Khudari has been deteriorating due to the lack of access to adequate health care including care for his bladder catheterization compounding bad detention conditions.”
“When he was arrested on 4 April 2019 he was undergoing cancer treatment and concerns for his health have increased with the COVID-19 pandemic and risks for an older person with underlying medical conditions” Amnesty said in a letter addressed recently to Saudi King Salman Al Saud.
“Earlier this year Dr. Mohammed al-Khudari lost partial function of his right hand and lost some of his teeth. He is currently dependent on his son detained with him to feed him and help him around the prison” the human rights group added.
“One year later Dr. Mohammed al-Khudari and Dr. Hani al-Khudari (arrested with his father on the same day) were brought before the Specialized Criminal Court (SCC) in a mass trial marred by serious due process violations including being denied adequate access to a lawyer throughout this period” it underlined.
“Their trial has been marred by numerous and serious violations of their due process rights including enforced disappearance arbitrary arrest and detention being held incommunicado and solitary confinement” it added.
Amnesty has called on the Saudi monarch to ensure that the unfounded charges against Khudari and his son are dropped and that they are released.
“In the interim ensure that both men are given regular access to their lawyer. Pending the dropping of charges and in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and Dr. Mohammed al-Khudari’s health concerns we call on your Majesty to urgently transfer Dr. Mohammed al-Khudari to a hospital where he is able to receive the urgent specialized medical care he needs” it added.
