Missing father and son seen in Al Hayer prison in Riyadh

Missing father and son seen in Al Hayer prison in Riyadh

Qatari citizens Ali Jaralla and his son, Abdulhadi, respectively aged 70 and 17, went missing on August 18, 2019 in the city of Al Hufuf, in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern province, where they were visiting their relatives. A few days after their abduction, their family was informally told that they were both held in Al Hayer prison in Riyadh. They were both released on November 1, 2019.

On August 15, 2019, Ali Jaralla and his son Abdulhadi travelled to Saudi Arabia to visit relatives in the Eastern Province. They entered the country with a family permit issued by the Saudi authorities.

On August 18, 2019, they went missing in the city of Al Hufuf. Three days later, on August 21, one of their relatives received a call from an individual saying he saw them in Al Hayer prison in Riyadh. He said that they had both been abducted on August 18 by men in civilian clothing.

Knowing this, the two men’s relatives inquired about their fate and whereabouts with the security services and the police in Al Hufuf and Riyadh, to no avail. They also went to Al Hayer prison to enquire about them but the authorities denied their arrest and detention. Father and son were eventually released without any legal proceedings on November 1, 2019.

Timeline

November 1, 2019: Ali and Abduladhi Jaralla are released.
August 30, 2019: The UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances sends a communication to the Saudi authorities requesting them to clarify their fate and whereabouts.
August 22, 2019: MENA Rights Group requests intervention of UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances.
August 21, 2019: Family receives a call informing them that Ali and Abdulhadi are held in Al Hayer prison.
August 18, 2019: Father and son go missing in the city of Al Hufuf.

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