A coalition of 20 human rights organizations has called on Bulgaria to suspend the planned deportation of Saudi human rights defender Abdulrahman al-Khalidi, warning that sending him back to Saudi Arabia would violate international laws protecting individuals from persecution.
Al-Khalidi, a longtime advocate for prisoners’ rights, fled Saudi Arabia in 2013 fearing government retaliation for his activism. He continued his advocacy, participating in the online movement “Bees Army” founded by the late Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. After Khashoggi’s murder in 2018, al-Khalidi sought asylum in Bulgaria. However, Bulgaria’s State Agency for Refugees rejected his asylum application in May 2022, claiming he was not at risk of persecution in Saudi Arabia. Al-Khalidi appealed the decision twice to Bulgaria’s Supreme Administrative Court.
In February 2024, the Bulgarian National Security Agency issued an expulsion order, which was upheld by the Sofia Administrative Court in October 2024. However, this order cannot be enforced until all asylum appeals are resolved.
Human Rights Watch’s Joey Shea expressed concern that deporting al-Khalidi would violate the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits the return of individuals to countries where they may face torture or other forms of ill-treatment. Shea pointed to Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights and the Convention Against Torture, both of which protect individuals from deportation to countries where they face a real risk of harm.
Al-Khalidi’s case highlights the ongoing crackdown on dissent in Saudi Arabia under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has overseen the targeting of activists and dissidents, including the mass execution of 81 individuals in March 2022.
As calls for al-Khalidi’s protection grow, the international community remains focused on whether Bulgaria will honor its obligations under international law and prevent the deportation of a man who could face severe repercussions in Saudi Arabia for his activism.
Excerpts from: Ishani Chakraborty, Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, India via JURIST
National Assembly main building, Sofia Picture on Wikimedia by Лорд Бъмбъри Creative Commons Attribution-S A 4.0 International
