A coalition of twenty human rights organizations is urging Bulgarian authorities to halt the deportation of Abdulrahman al-Khalidi, a Saudi human rights activist, back to Saudi Arabia. These organizations argue that al-Khalidi, who has been an advocate for human rights and prisoners’ rights for over ten years, should instead be allowed safe passage to a third country. Having fled Saudi Arabia in 2013 due to fears of persecution, al-Khalidi has remained a vocal critic of the Saudi government. He was actively involved in the “Bees Army” online movement, which was championed by the late Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was murdered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018. Following the escalation of threats, al-Khalidi sought asylum in Bulgaria.
In May 2022, the Bulgarian State Agency for Refugees rejected his asylum application, arguing that al-Khalidi was not at risk of persecution. He has since appealed this decision twice at the Bulgarian Supreme Administrative Court. Complicating matters further, the Bulgarian National Security Agency issued an expulsion order against him in February 2024, which was later upheld by the Sofia Administrative Court. However, this order remains unenforceable until all asylum appeals are concluded.
Joey Shea, a researcher at Human Rights Watch, cautioned that deporting al-Khalidi to Saudi Arabia would violate the principle of nonrefoulement, a key principle of international law that prohibits deporting individuals to countries where they might face harm. This principle is embedded in Article 3 of the Convention against Torture and Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights, both of which prohibit extradition to countries where there is a substantial risk of torture or inhumane treatment. Moreover, the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees provide additional protections against such deportations.
Under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia has been accused of targeting dissidents, with reports of harsh punishments including the execution of 81 men in March 2022. This marked the country’s largest execution in decades, despite pledges to curb capital punishment. A number of rights groups have documented such actions, highlighting the potential risks faced by al-Khalidi should he be returned to Saudi Arabia.
For further details on this developing situation, refer to the original report.