Urgent:

The Arab Center for the Independence of Judiciary and the Legal Profession (ACIJLP) expresses its deep regret and rejection over the Saudi authorities’ arrest to the Egyptian lawyer “Ahmed Algizawy” on Tuesday, April 17, 2012 claiming a verdict in absentia and sentenced him for a year after 20 skin lashes on charges of insulting Saudi King himself.

The ACIJLP is deeply concerned over the administrative prosecution to the Egyptian lawyer because it came as a result of exercising his profession and because lawyer “Ahmed Algizawy” filled a case to South Cairo Court against Saudi King regarding the detention of a large number of Egyptians in different cases, accusing them of exercising arbitrary detention and torture against a large number of Egyptians working in Saudi Arabia without following legal procedures. He calls upon their release and compensation of what they have suffered from such as torture and arbitrary arrest.

The ACIJLP believes that what was done by the Saudi authorities, is a clear violation of international conventions and commitments relevant to the role of lawyers, particularly the United Nations Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers, which provided for in Article 16 “Governments shall ensure that lawyers ( a ) are able to perform all of their professional functions without intimidation, hindrance, harassment or improper interference; ( b ) are able to travel and to consult with their clients freely both within their own country and abroad; and ( c ) shall not suffer, or be threatened with, prosecution or administrative, economic or other sanctions for any action taken in accordance with recognized professional duties, standards and ethics.

The ACIJLP denounces the extreme arbitrary action which occurred as a result of the lawyer’s exercise of his profession after a trial in absentia which did not guarantee the lawyer the right to defense, and did not allow him to appeal against the sentence issued against him. The ACIJLP also holds the Saudi authorities responsibility for the physical integrity of the lawyer mentioned, and calls upon the Egyptian Foreign Ministry to immediately interfere with the Saudi authorities concerned to release the lawyer in question and the immediate cessation of the inhumane sanctions against him represented in skin lashes, which is considered in accordance with the international Covenants and commitments cruel, humiliating and degrading treatment. Moreover, the ACIJLP holds the Saudi authorities the responsibility to ensure his right to physical integrity.

The ACIJLP calls upon the Egyptian Bar Association to take the necessary legal and judicial procedures, for the release of the lawyer in question, and to take the necessary measures to reduce the judicial and administrative proceedings for lawyers because of performing their profession. It is worth mentioning that lawyer “Ahmed Algizawy” was arrested and taken to an unknown destination so far on Tuesday morning 17 April 2012 upon his arrival to Jeddah airport to perform Umrah and to visit the Holy Land in Saudi Arabia for the application of the rule issued by the Saudi courts to prison him for a year after 20 skin lashes on charges of insulting Saudi King himself. The penalty of skin lashes will be implemented on Friday 27^th April 2012.

The Arab Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession (ACIJLP) expresses its welcoming of the statements made by the Saudi Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohamed Al Issa, on February 21, 2010. These statements were on the planning of the Saudi government to issue a new law allowing female lawyers to plead before the courts for the first time in Saudi Arabia.

The Center believes that such a step, which allows female lawyers to appear in courts in family-related cases, including divorce cases and child custody, is a good step towards activating the right to equality, stipulated by the International Bill of Human Rights.

The Center also believes that this step requires to be followed by a number of steps that ensure equality between Saudi women and men to exercise the legal profession, and empower Saudi women to practice the legal profession in all cases, and not to restrict their role in litigating and defending family issues.

Furthermore, the Center calls upon the Saudi civil society institutions to intensify and coordinate their efforts with the Saudi government to give effect to the right to equality, and to adopt an enlightened strategy to enable Saudi women to play their role in the development of Saudi society.