Yamanyoon
The Guardian newspaper reported in its latest report about leaked documents inside the Saudi royal court, confirming for the first time that political prisoners in the Kingdom were subjected to various types of violations and torture, despite the authorities denial of this matter.
Referring back to the report, political prisoners in the Kingdom suffer from malnutrition, wounds, bruises, and burns. This Information was spread after medical reports were leaked. These leaked reports looked like as they were prepared for to the Saudi King Salman bin Abdul Aziz to look at.
The newspaper said it had received information that these medical reports would be presented to King Salman, along with recommendations that included amnesty for all prisoners, or at least an early release of those with serious health problems.
The Guardian explained that “the options are in the context of an internal review authorized by the king, ordering the examinations of about 60 prisoners, mostly women.” Some of these medical leaks were leaked to the Guardian, who then asked the Saudi government to comment on these medical reports for more than a week, but a government spokesman refused to discuss the issue, although he was given the opportunity to do so on several occasions.
The Guardian pointed out that the Saudi officials did not deny the validity of these leaked reports, pointing out that they were able to independently verify the validity and content of one of these medical reports, and followed the “health status of other individuals, as described in these documents were identical to previous reports included signs to the existence of torture.
The “Guardian” reported that there is increasing pressure on the Kingdom over the issue of the arrest and brutal treatment of political prisoners, amid talk of Saudi women activists being subjected to electric shock and flogging in detention.
Following the assassination of opposition journalist Jamal Khashoggi, King Salman was reportedly ordered to review the arrest and detention of about 200 men and women as part of a campaign ordered by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
According to sources familiar with the review process, the royal palace ignored the objections of the Crown Prince’s assistants and sought medical examinations for a number of detainees to know their health status. Among those examined were Adel Ahmed Banema, Mohammed Saud al-Bishr, Fahd Abdul-Aziz al-Sunaidi, Zuhair Kutbi, Fawzan al-Fawzan, and Yasser al-Ayyaf. From the women who were examined, there was Samar Muhammad Badawi, Htoun Ajwad al-Fassi and Abeer al-Namnakani.
The Guardian knew that these tests took place in January. These medical reports, which were marked “confidential”, contained three general recommendations to the king about the next steps.
Medical reports were accompanied by comments indicating that many of the detainees were subjected to aggressive treatment, and most of them, are suffering from a range of health problems. The reports added that the detainees must be transferred urgently from solitary confinement to a medical center.
The recommendations of the king’s advisors include amnesty for all political prisoners, the release of detainees since 2017 and the release of prisoners suffering from health problems.
The newspaper quoted a human rights activist, who declined to have his name released, that the descriptions contained in these leaked reports about individuals in solitary confinement are consistent with the evidence collected by other activists, adding that the only way to fully verify the authenticity of these documents is to allow independent observers to meet these detainees And to conduct assessments that are publicly disclosed.
The same source told the newspaper that the female detainees were subjected to electric shocks, tied to chairs, and also were beaten on different parts of the body using the agal, a piece of traditional dress Saudi men put on top of their heads.
From what do political prisoners suffer from in prison?
According to information from the Guardian, the medical notes within the leaked reports stated that one of the detainees was suffering from severe weight loss and continuous blood vomiting. There were also other notes about a number of cuts and bruises on the body and prominent chest and lower back injuries. Therefore, the advisors said they must be transferred from solitary confinement to a specialist clinic for immediate treatment and more tests.
Moreover, one patient is reported to have difficulty walking due to a number of obvious bruises in the leg area. There are also a number of injuries visible in the forearm and lower back area, and malnutrition and dehydration are evident.
It was also knowable that one of the patients suffered from obvious bruises in his body, especially in the areas of the back, abdomen, and thighs, in addition to malnutrition due to lack of food.
In describing the condition of another patient, it was reported that the detainee could not move at all due to leg injuries, general weakness in the body due to malnutrition and lack of fluid, severe burns to the whole body, old burns that have not healed completely due to medical negligence, In addition to difficulty in movement due to severe malnutrition and lack of fluid.