The National Society for Human Rights (NSHR) has sought the intervention of concerned authorities to resolve the long-pending cases of detainees (foreign workers) awaiting deportation at various deportation centers in the Kingdom. Dr. Saleh Al-Khathlan, Vice Chairman of NSHR said a delegation recently visited a number of deportation centers in the Kingdom and filed its finding to the Ministry of Interior highlighting pressing issues such as unhealthy living conditions, overcrowding and detainees of various nationalities waiting for long periods of time. “The overcrowding of deportation centers beyond their capacity in Riyadh and Jeddah has been a major problem that needs to be addressed immediately,” he said. A number of foreign nationals detained at these deportation centers are waiting for documents such as passports or emergency certificate (out-pass) issued by their respective embassies and one-way air-ticket to go back to their countries. Al-Khathlan lambasted the sponsors for failing to take care of their workers, who have been waiting for deportation for long periods of time after being reported as run-away workers, absconding or other allegations such as the labor disputes. “In many cases the foreign detainees are at the mercy of sponsors, who never showed up to send them on final exit, which is complicating the issue,” he said. The NSHR also finds foreign embassies at fault for not paying enough attention toward their citizens living in Saudi Arabia, particularly those detained and waiting for deportation, Dr. Khathlan said without identifying the foreign missions. “I have found foreign embassies equally responsible for the long delays of their workers waiting for deportation,” he said. The NSHR is also in the process of filing a case to know the exact cause of death of Shaikh Muhammad Saqib, an Indian national who died in the Shumaisy Deportation Center last month. He said the NSHR would write a letter to the hospital to know Saqib's actual cause of his death. He said the NSHR report has specifically mentioned the Khazan Tarheel building which is very old and dilapidated. It needs immediate renovation or building a new facility to house the detainees, Al-Khathlan said. According to sources, the Shumaisy Deportation Center in Riyadh houses around 400 to 500 detainees against its capacity of 150 or so. Saudi Gazette learnt that upon not finding enough space the detainees either sleep in shifts or opt to take a nap in unclean and stinking toilets. Dr. Al-Khathlan said a foreign worker involved in labor dispute with his/her employer should in no way be held in the deportation center. He was referring to one Madiulhaasan, an Indian national who has been languishing at Shumaisy Deportation Center for the past more than one year. Madiulhaasan, a father of four, said he worked for more than a decade and when he demanded his end-of-service-benefits his sponsor reported him as run-away worker. However, before his sponsor allegedly reported Madiulhaasan as run-away worker he filed a case in the labor court. The case is still pending at the labor court, but Madiulhaasan has been detained at Shumaisy Deportation Center for about 18 months now.
