Abdul Rahman al-Lahim

Abdul Rahman Al-Lahim (alternatively al-Lahem) (born 1971) is a Saudi human rights lawyer active in defending the civil rights of Saudi citizens.[1]

Al-Lahim was born in the deeply conservative Qassim region. Until the late 1990s, Al-Lahim, who holds a degree in sharia, was an Arabic teacher as well as an Islamist, active in As-Sahwa al-Islamiyya. He is married and the father of two.[2] [3][4]

He became committed to civil rights while attending "Sharia school" in Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University in Riyadh.[3] According to analysts of his work, Al-Lahim is effective because "He not only crafts effective legal arguments, but he also understands the conservative forces that hold the gavel."[1]

On 6 November 2004, Al-Lahim was arrested by Saudi authorities for defending three reform activists on trial in Saudi Arabia charged with "issuing statements and collecting as many signatures as possible on petitions" calling for reforms in the Kingdom as well as of calling for the adoption of a constitutional monarchy and "using Western terminology" in demanding political reforms.[5] All three activists and Al-Lahem were released in early August 2005 at the intervention of King Abdullah.[6]

In 2005, he defended a high school teacher, Mohammad Al-Harbi, who had been sentenced to a punishment of 750 public lashes for mocking religion by speaking out against terrorism.[7][8] Al-Harbi later received a royal pardon and all charges were dropped.[9][10]

In 2007, Al-Lahim also defended the rape victim known as the "Qatif girl" from a sentence of 200 public lashes and faced disbarment for taking her case.[11] He was suspended from the case as a result of the appeal against the punishment and his licence, granted to Saudi lawyers by the ministry of justice, was revoked. He was charged with criticizing the judiciary and conducting activist campaigns in the media.[12] Later his license was returned to him.[13] Human rights organization Amnesty International criticized the persecution of al-Lahem.[14]

A travel ban has been imposed against Al-Lahim since 2004 and protested by human right organizations.[15]

In 2008, Al-Lahim was awarded The American Bar Association’s 2008 International Human Rights Lawyer Award in Vienna, although he was unable to attend due to his travel ban.[16]

He started writing a column for Okaz Newspaper in April 2016.[17]

References
  1. Nathaniel Rosenblatt, Abdul Rahman al-Lahim, Middle East Quarterly, Spring 2008, p. 96
  2. "Saudi Lawyer Takes On Religious Court System". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 2023-05-30.
  3. Washington Post, Dec. 23, 2006
  4. The Economist, Nov. 13, 2007
  5. Reformists’ Lawyer Arrested After Letter Sent to Crown Prince by Raid Qusti for Arab News 9 November 2004 Archived July 16, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  6. Abdullah’s Noble Gesture Thanked 10 August 2005 Archived July 16, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  7. Teacher Charged With Mocking Religion Sentenced to Jail By Ebtihal Mubarak for Arab News, 14 November 2005 Archived July 16, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  8. Extremism Rears Its Ugly Head - Arab News 19 November 2005 Archived July 16, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  9. All Charges Against Al-Harbi Dropped, Arab news, 8 December 2005 Archived July 16, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  10. Lack of Clear Guidelines Irks Lawyers, Defendants, Arab News, 8 February 2006 Archived July 16, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  11. Saudi Rape Case Spurs Calls for Reform, New York Times, 1 December 2007
  12. "Rape victim sentenced to 200 lashes and six months in jail". The Guardian. 2007-11-17. Archived from the original on 2023-05-31.
  13. Qatif Girl’s Lawyer Gets His License Back Archived July 16, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  14. Saudi Arabia: Lawyer must not be punished for defending gang rape victim
  15. Saudi Arabia: Travel ban on human rights defender Abdul
  16. Rights lawyer’s request to lift travel curbs in abeyance Archived July 16, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  17. Al-Lahim and Sabbagh Join Ukaz
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