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Women Journalists Without Chains (WJWC) has expressed deep concern over the Bulgarian authorities' handling of the case of human rights defender Abdulrahman Al-Khalidi, 31, who faces an ongoing threat of deportation to Saudi Arabia despite court rulings in his favor.
The Bulgarian State Agency for Refugees rejected Al-Khalidi’s asylum request in May 2022, asserting that he faced no risk of persecution in Saudi Arabia and citing the kingdom’s alleged steps toward “democratizing society.” Al-Khalidi, through his legal counsel, has twice appealed the decision before the Supreme Administrative Court and continues to await a final ruling, with options still available to escalate the case to higher courts.
On March 26, a Bulgarian court ordered Al-Khalidi’s release from detention at the enclosed Busmantsi facility near Sofia—a ruling that marked the second time courts had ruled in his favor, following a similar decision in January 2024. However, two days later, Bulgarian security forces defied the court order, threatened him with deportation, and coerced him into signing an anonymous document under duress.
Al-Khalidi described his ordeal, stating: “Immigration authorities summoned me under the pretense of transferring me for deportation proceedings, despite my ongoing asylum appeal. They confiscated my phone, handcuffed me, denied me legal counsel, and forced me to sign a document under threat—all without prior notice or an official written order in Arabic.”
WJWC strongly condemned these actions, calling them a blatant disregard for judicial authority and a dangerous precedent for the erosion of the rule of law within a European Union member state.
The organization emphasized that the Bulgarian government’s attempt to deport Al-Khalidi while his asylum appeal remains unresolved is a direct violation of the non-refoulement principle. This principle, enshrined in multiple international treaties to which Bulgaria is a signatory—including Article 3 of the UN Convention Against Torture, the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, customary international law, and Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights—prohibits the forced return of individuals to countries where their lives or freedoms would be at risk.
Additionally, the 1951 Refugee Convention explicitly prohibits the expulsion of refugees to territories where they could face persecution, a safeguard that Bulgaria appears to be ignoring in Al-Khalidi’s case.
Saudi Arabia has long been criticized for its severe human rights violations, including targeting activists and political dissidents both within and beyond its borders. The country’s judicial system is notorious for handing down lengthy prison sentences to those who engage in peaceful dissent. Given these conditions, WJWC argues that returning Al-Khalidi to Saudi Arabia would expose him to severe persecution and possible imprisonment.
Al-Khalidi has endured inhumane treatment during his detention at Bozmantsi for over three and a half years, including physical assault. March 31 marks the one-year anniversary of a brutal attack against him by four officers, who subsequently denied him medical care. Despite clear evidence, Bulgarian authorities have refused to investigate, citing claims that “National Security Service decisions are not subject to judicial oversight.”
In October 2024, Al-Khalidi ended a 104-day hunger strike, which he had launched to protest his mistreatment, the deportation threats, and the delays in his asylum case.
Al-Khalidi, a father of two, fled Saudi Arabia in 2013 after facing threats and interrogation for advocating political reform. Following years of displacement in Qatar and Turkey, he entered Bulgaria in 2021 seeking refuge in the EU. Instead, he was arrested for unauthorized entry and has since remained in detention.
Women Journalists Without Chains is urging Bulgarian authorities to rectify their violations of the rule of law, ensure the enforcement of court decisions, and uphold both domestic and international legal obligations. The organization also calls for a transparent investigation into the abuses Al-Khalidi has suffered and demands the establishment of a European commission to assess conditions at Bozmantsi, where reports suggest widespread human rights abuses.
Furthermore, WJWC is appealing to EU officials and diplomats in Sofia to pressure the Bulgarian government to protect Al-Khalidi from deportation and grant him political asylum in accordance with international law.
The ongoing developments in Al-Khalidi’s case raise serious concerns about Bulgaria’s commitment to human rights, judicial independence, and its obligations as a member of the European Union.
