The Supreme Court in Bulgaria overturns the decision to deny asylum to Abdulrahman Al-Khaldi

The Supreme Administrative Court in Bulgaria has canceled a decision by the government’s refugee agency, which had denied Mr. Abdulrahman Al-Khaldi, a Saudi citizen, refugee status and humanitarian protection. The court found the agency’s refusal to be unreasonable and lacking any legal basis.

Al-Khaldi, who was politically active in Saudi Arabia and fearing arrest, relocated to Turkey. With his passport expiring, he was compelled to leave Turkey in 2021 and trekked through forests to Bulgaria to seek protection in the European Union. However, in May 2023, the Bulgarian authorities rejected his request for political asylum due to his inability to prove he would face persecution in his homeland, as confirmed by an anonymous member of his defense team. Al-Khaldi is currently awaiting a final decision regarding his deportation to Riyadh.

SANAD Organisation for Human Rights welcomes the court’s decision, considering it a positive step, and calls on the Bulgarian authorities to continue acting in accordance with their international obligations to ensure protection for individuals facing the risk of persecution, urging them to grant Al-Khaldi asylum urgently.