Saudi Activist Abdulrahman Al-Khalidi Released After Nearly Five Years in Detention in Bulgaria

Bulgarian authorities have released Saudi activist Abdulrahman Al-Khalidi after he spent nearly four years and ten months in detention. According to human rights and media sources, Al-Khalidi was transferred from the Lyubimets detention center to the Bulgarian capital to complete procedures for changing his detention status before being released on bail.

Al-Khalidi left Saudi Arabia due to his political activism and fears of arrest, moving to Turkey. After his passport expired, he was forced to leave Turkey in 2021 and travel on foot through forests toward Bulgaria, seeking protection within the European Union.

In May 2023, Bulgarian authorities rejected his asylum application, and he remained detained despite human rights warnings about the risks he could face if deported to Saudi Arabia, including possible detention, torture, and ill-treatment because of his political activism and views.

SANAD Human Rights Organization congratulates Abdulrahman Al-Khalidi and his family on his release after years of detention and stresses that this important step should be followed by securing a safe and stable legal status that protects him from the risk of deportation.