
Dr. Matrouk al-Faleh
Dr. Matrouk al-Faleh, a 55-year-old Saudi political scientist and human rights advocate, was released from prison on January 10, 2009, after being held for more than seven months without charges.
Although the Saudi authorities reportedly never publicly disclosed the reason for his arrest, it is believed to be related to an article that criticized the harsh conditions of confinement in al-Bureida General Prison, where Dr. al-Faleh was acting as legal representative for fellow academics and human rights activists, Dr. Abdulla al-Hamid and Dr. al-Hamid’s brother Isaa.
Throughout his eight months of detention in Alhayer Prison, Professor al-Faleh was held in solitary confinement without acceess to legal counsel; for the first two months he was refused family visits as well.