Amnesty International Calls on Saudi Arabia To Release Hamas Representative

By Staff, Agencies

Amnesty International called on the Saudi authorities to release Dr. Muhammad al-Khudari, the representative of Palestinian resistance movement Hamas in Riyadh, and his son Hani, and criticized their denial of treatment, the deterioration of their health and their neglect.

The rights group stressed that Dr. al-Khudari, the 83-year-old Palestinian who is detained in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, suffers from a deterioration in his health due to negligence.

Amnesty revealed that the deteriorating health of Dr. al-Khudari was caused by negligence, stressing that he did not receive adequate health care, including care for a bladder catheter, which exacerbated the poor conditions of detention.

In its latest reports, the organization indicated that al-Khudari underwent surgery and was being treated for prostate cancer when the Saudi authorities arbitrarily arrested him and his son Dr. Hani on April 4, 2019.

It added that one year later, he was brought before the Specialized Criminal Court in a trial. Collectively marred by serious violations, Amnesty stressed that the health condition of the Palestinian detainee is steadily deteriorating in Abha prison in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and concerns about his health have increased with the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially as he is of the elderly, who suffers from basic medical conditions.

A report published by Amnesty revealed that earlier this year, Dr. Muhammad al-Khudari lost the ability to move his right hand, and he is currently dependent on his son, who is detained with him, to feed and help him in prison.

In November 2020, the al-Khudaris were transferred to Abha, a facility that lacked the medical specialists and standard care his condition required.