RIYADH, 26 July 2007 — The National Society for Human Rights (NSHR) is investigating reports of sick prisoners in Saudi jails, who — contrary to Saudi law — are being kept in prison and not freed, reported the Al-Eqtisadiah newspaper. The investigation follows news about the death of an Indian cancer patient who recently died while in prison in Riyadh.
Farki Matthew, a cancer patient who also had a brain tumor, was arrested last month by police following a car crash. Being unable to pay for damages to another car and a lamppost, Matthew was imprisoned, where he died.
Salih ibn Muhammad Al-Khathlan, a NSHR official, said that although the society believes that the giving and taking of life is in Allah’s hands, the NSHR cannot comprehend how some organizations fail to understand the sensitivities of cases involving extremely sick prisoners.
“We feel sorry for this man. This case highlights the fact that we need to show some flexibility,” said Al-Khathlan, adding that Matthew was transferred from Al-Karj Prison to a secure ward at the Al-Riyadh Medical Center.
“When we first heard about this case, we asked the authorities to free Matthew and return him back to his family,” he said, adding that the law states that sick prisoners suffering from serious diseases can be freed. The NSHR official also said that the society did not receive letters sent to the Al-Riyadh Medical Center on Jamadi Al-Thani 8 (June 23) and on Rajab 8 (July 22). The NSHR also sent letters to the Interior Ministry concerning Matthew’s case and again did not receive a response. Matthew finally died a couple of days ago.
The NSHR official also cited the case of an unnamed young Saudi cancer patient, who was brought from a prison in Tabuk to Al-Malaz Prison in Riyadh. Al-Khathlan said that the man has just completed half of a five-year prison sentence and that, according to a report from the King Faisal Specialist Hospital, he was entitled to be freed two weeks ago. “He is unfortunately still in prison,” he said.
He added that the prisoner has also developed a contagious skin disease because of a lack of cleanliness inside the prison and that other prisoners are at risk of catching the disease.
However, Col. Falah Al-Subai, head of Al-Malaz Prison, denied any negligence on the part of the prison and said that the prisoner was transferred from Tabuk to Riyadh where he is receiving treatment for cancer. He added that the prisoner has already received treatment for his skin condition and that a doctor’s report showed that he has fully recovered.
“Prisoners that suffer from contagious diseases are kept in isolation until they get treatment,” said Al-Subai, adding that the prison is kept clean by a team of cleaners. He also added that the prison authorities are currently waiting for the municipality to approve a decision to free the man.
