RIYADH, 9 October 2007 — The Riyadh High Court will look into the murder case of Salman Al-Huraisi after the Eid holidays, according to a lawyer for the victim’s family.
Salman Al-Salman, the lawyer, said the judge had asked for a report on the failure of some officials of the governor’s office to show up to court.
Al-Huraisi was allegedly beaten to death in May at the Al-Oraija detention center of the Commission for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice in Riyadh. Al-Huraisi was arrested by the commission members on suspicion of storing alcohol in his house.
Al-Salman said he represented not only the heirs of the deceased but his brother, sister and brother’s wife who have filed complaints against the commission officials for the way they raided the family home.
The attorney said his clients wanted the prosecution of the 18 commission members involved.
“I plead for the prosecution of all those who harassed the family members in the house, including women, without any women officials accompanying the commission members,” Al-Watan daily quoted the attorney as saying.
The father of the deceased accused the commission members of beating his handcuffed son, even though he was already covered in blood, until he died.
The Governorate of Riyadh later stated that large quantities of alcohol were found in the house and it also confirmed that the man died during the raid.
Fourteen commission members have been detained for questioning and all 11 family members who were in the house at the time were questioned. Police officers who took part in the raid were also detained for questioning, according to the governorate. The two commission members are in the Malaz prison.
Three members of the Huraisi family detained during the raid also remain in jail.
