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Protesters urge Saudi Arabia to release Jordanian prisoners

Arab World Materials 3 March 2011 11:28 (UTC +04:00)
Citizens from as far south as Maan gathered in front of the Saudi embassy in Amman on Wednesday to urge the release of Jordanians detained in Saudi Arabia, The Jordan Times reported.
Protesters urge Saudi Arabia to release Jordanian prisoners

Citizens from as far south as Maan gathered in front of the Saudi embassy in Amman on Wednesday to urge the release of Jordanians detained in Saudi Arabia, The Jordan Times reported.

Among the protesters were relatives of Mahmoud Fazayah from Maan, some 220 kilometres south of the capital, who said Fazayah has been held in a prison in Abha for nearly five years without trial.

"Mahmoud finished his studies at an Islamic university. When he went to retrieve some official documents, the police took him for questioning and he remains in prison without knowing why," said Ahmad Fazaya, Mahmoud's cousin.

Activists claim that the majority of Jordanians are being held in Abha prison, where many foreign nationals are jailed.

Sufian Mahmoud, the mother of one detainee, said her son has also been detained for years without charges.

"My son has been held for five years in Saudi prisons, but no charges have been made against him," said Um Mohammad, another demonstrator.

Protesters, many of whom are Maan residents, threatened to block off the highway to Saudi Arabia if their relatives are not freed, criticising the government for what they claimed as a lack of interest in resolving the issue.

Officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the issue of Jordanian prisoners abroad is among the government's top priorities.

"We are following up on the cases of all Jordanian prisoners abroad. This issue is a top priority for the government," said a ministry official who preferred to remain unnamed.

According to the Arab Organisation for Human Rights (AOHR), there are 250 Jordanian prisoners in Syria, 46 in Iraq, 27 in Israel, 14 in Saudi Arabia, six in Iran and five in the US.

Participating in yesterday's protest, the AOHR reiterated its call on the government to follow up on the cases of Jordanians held in Saudi Arabian prisons.

Last week, Saudi Arabia freed a Jordanian Islamist after holding him for 45 days without trial in what he claimed was a case of mistaken identity.

The release took place a few days after protests were held near the embassy.

Officials at the Saudi embassy in Amman were unavailable for comment.

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