We write to bring your attention to the severe abuse of an Indonesian woman, Keni binti Carda, during her employment as a domestic worker for Khalid and Wafa al-Khuraifi in Medina, Saudi Arabia last year.

Human Rights Watch is concerned that Saudi Arabian regulations and practice continue to subject young children to arrest, detention, and custodial sentences in violation of international juvenile justice standards.

H.R.H. Prince Khaled bin Faisal bin Abd al-‘Aziz Al Sa’ud Governor
Mekka Region

Your Royal Highness,

We write to you to request that you order the immediate release of Tariq Yunis Akram Mashharawi, currently imprisoned in Buraiman prison, Jeddah.

Human Rights Watch is writing this open letter to you about a Tunisian man being held in a jail in al-Medina who in our view would be at risk of persecution and of torture if returned to Tunisia.

Human Rights Watch writes to urge Dr. Ihsanoglu to use his position as Secretary General of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference to support measures at the upcoming Summit of the Organisation of Islamic Conference in Dakar, Senegal on March 13-14 that would improve and strengthen the 1999 OIC Convention on Combating International Terrorism. In particular, the OIC should consider two amendments to the Convention to narrow its overbroad definition of terrorism and make absolutely clear that there is no sanction in Islam for deliberately attacking civilians, whatever the circumstances or justifications.

Human Rights Watch urges you to immediately halt the execution of Fawza Falih Muhammad Ali, currently imprisoned in Quraiyat Prison. Fawza Falih has exhausted her appeals and her relatives in Jordan believe the papers are currently in your office awaiting your approval of the execution.

We are writing on December 18, 2007, International Migrants’ Day, to call upon you to implement key reforms to respect and uphold migrants’ rights. On January 21-22, 2008, the United Arab Emirates will host the latest round of the “Colombo Process,” a series of regional consultative processes focused on Asian contract migrant workers. We believe this meeting could provide an important stepping stone to establishing regional minimum standards regarding recruitment, employment, and protection of migrant workers.

Human Rights Watch is again writing to you regarding travel bans that the Saudi government has imposed arbitrarily on at least 22 Saudi citizens. We regret not receiving a response to our letter of November 2006 in which we initially raised our concerns privately with you.