ISSUES RELATED TO THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF MIGRANTS INCLUDING DISCRIMINATORY LABOUR POLICIES, GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE, AND ARBITRARY DETENTION AND DEPORTATION MEASURES 1. INTRODUCTION This submission has been prepared by Migrant-Rights.org and the Global Detention Project (GDP) for consideration by the Committee on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD) at its 114th session where it will […]
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Submission to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
ISSUES RELATING TO THE RIGHTS OF MIGRANT WORKERS, ARBITRARY IMMIGRATION DETENTION, AND DEPORTATION (see also, GDP Oral Presentation at Informal Session with CEDAW) Context Detention and Deportation Legal Framework and Discriminatory Policies Migrant Domestic Workers Recommendations [1] Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), “Concluding observations on the combined third and fourth periodic reports of Saudi […]
Policy and Practice Updates From the Gulf
In the past year, detention and deportation operations have been on the rise across the Gulf region. The GDP’s partner in the region, Migrant-Rights.org, has been documenting and reporting on these campaigns. They have detailed how every week “hundreds of migrant workers [are] detained in searches and raids. Most workers are detained for having inaccurate […]
Migrants and Asylum Seekers Face Violent Attacks, Then Detention, At Saudi Border.
In a new report, Human Rights Watch (HRW) details the horrific killing of hundreds of migrants and asylum seekers at the Saudi-Yemen border. According to the report, Saudi border guards have used explosive weapons and shot at groups of people–largely Ethiopian migrants and asylum seekers–killing hundreds, amongst them women and children. Those who survive have […]
Saudi Arabia Immigration Detention Data Profile (2020)
Saudi Arabia Detention Data (2020) The latest detention-related data from Saudi Arabia, including immigration and detention-related statistics, domestic laws and policies, international law, and institutional indicators. View the Saudi Arabia Detention Data Profile Related Reading: Saudi Arabia: Country Page Saudi Arabia: Joint Submission to the Universal Periodic Review (with Migrant-Rights.org) (2018) Saudi Arabia: Joint Submission […]
Saudi Arabia: Covid-19 and Detention
Amnesty International (AI) reported that at least three people died in detention centres housing thousands of Ethiopian migrants in Saudi Arabia (AI 02.10.2020). The rights group said that migrants were facing “unimaginable cruelty,” including being chained together in pairs, and using their cell floors as toilets. AI urged Saudi authorities to improve conditions in the […]
Saudi Arabia: Covid-19 and Detention
Poor conditions of immigration detention in Saudi-Arabia have been called out several times by Human Rights Watch (HRW). Reports of migrant trafficking and overcrowding in the country’s facilities are numerous. In April, thousands of Ethiopians were expelled from Yemen as Houthi forces declared them “coronavirus carriers” (see our 4 August Yemen update). They were forced […]
Saudi Arabia: Covid-19 and Detention
Although the UN urged Saudi Arabia to cease deportations in April, Riyadh has continued the practice throughout the pandemic. Since March, 2,870 Ethiopian migrant workers have been deported and Ethiopian officials have reported that as of the end of July, some 927 of these deportees were infected with the virus (although the true number is […]
Saudi Arabia: Covid-19 and Detention
Thousands of Ethiopian workers – including large numbers of domestic workers – were deported from Saudi Arabia (as well as the UAE) over the weekend (10-12 April). Deported on cargo planes, some were reported to be displaying symptoms of Covid-19, although none had been tested for the virus. According to the UAE government, they were […]
Saudi Arabia: Covid-19 and Detention
On 26 March, the state-backed Human Rights Commission (HRC) announced that 250 foreign detainees – held on non-violent immigration and residency offences – had been released from detention facilities. A HRC spokesman stated that more releases were to be expected. Previously, on 18 March 2020, Saudi authorities decided to close tribunals for two weeks and […]
