Bulgaria authorities defy court order, continue unlawful detention of Saudi dissident

A call for the immediate release of Saudi human rights activist, Abdulrahman Al-Khalidi, has been issued by Migrant Solidarity Bulgaria, as authorities in Sofia continue to unlawfully detain the dissident despite a binding court order. The press release, seen by MEMO, highlights Bulgaria’s defiance of domestic and international law and warns of the grave risk Al-Khalidi faces if deported to Saudi Arabia.

On 26 March 2025, the Administrative Court of Sofia ruled that Al-Khalidi—who has been imprisoned for more than three and a half years—must be released without delay. Yet, Bulgarian authorities have, instead, transferred him to the deportation wing of the Busmanci Detention Centre, citing a previous expulsion order issued in February by the State Agency for National Security (SANS). This move, according to legal experts and rights groups, flagrantly violates Bulgaria’s legal obligations while Al-Khalidi’s asylum application is still pending.

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The Saudi dissident was forcibly removed from the refugee section of the Detention Centre without prior notice, denied access to a written order in Arabic, and temporarily stripped of his phone to prevent him from contacting his lawyer. He was reportedly coerced into signing documents he could not fully understand.

Authorities claim his continued detention is justified under national security provisions, specifically Article 67(3) of the Law on Asylum and Refugees. However, it is being argued that international and EU law prohibit such actions until an asylum claim is fully adjudicated. The use of this provision while the appeal process is ongoing is viewed as a clear breach of the principle of non-refoulement under the 1951 Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights.

Al-Khalidi fled Saudi Arabia in 2013, moving through Egypt, Qatar and Turkiye, before seeking asylum in Bulgaria in 2021. A long-time advocate for prisoner rights and a critic of Riyadh’s digital propaganda campaigns, he has been subjected to relentless online harassment and death threats from Saudi-linked influencers branding him a traitor.

Human Rights Watch previously warned that Al-Khalidi faced a “serious risk of arbitrary detention, torture and an unfair trial” if deported. The rights organisation also condemned the planned expulsion as a likely violation of both the Convention against Torture and the Refugee Convention, to which Bulgaria is a signatory.

Migrant Solidarity Bulgaria is urging authorities to comply with the court’s ruling, cease the misuse of security laws, and uphold Bulgaria’s legal obligations toward asylum seekers. “The rule of law must be upheld, and Abdulrahman Al-Khalidi must be freed without further delay,” the organisation said.

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Despite international concern, Al-Khalidi remains in custody, raising fears of imminent deportation and triggering renewed pressure on Bulgaria to respect the rights of those fleeing persecution. Rights groups have called on the international community and media to demand accountability and ensure that Al-Khalidi is not returned to a country where his life would be in danger.