Job Discussion Forums

[RUBALKHALI]

[bThe purpose of this thread is to plead for your support for SHEIKHER by sending a message on the following link: [email protected]

Sheikher is currently locked up in a mental institution in Al Hassa, KSA.
For those who may not know of him�a brief summary.

Sheikher is a Canadian teacher who was employed in 2008 by Shabakah in Al Hassa, KSA to teach the English preparatory programme at King Faisal University also in Al Hassa.

His contract was terminated in December, 2008 and since then he has been fighting Shabakah for justice regarding his contract and also for his personal dignity.

He won his dispute with Shabakah in early 2009 at the local labour Court. Shabakah then asked for an appeal at the labour supreme Court in Riyadh.
Many times the supreme court hearings were delayed because they did not provide a translator which is one of the basic human rights under the UN Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Recently, in December 2010, the Supreme court came to a decision that awarded a small amount of money to Sheikher and a one way ticket back to Canada.

Sheikher tried to appeal this decision by requesting to meet the King and also threatened to commit suicide, which is why he was sent to the psychiatric institution.

Sheikher has been living in a small apartment in Al Hassa with often no security protection�as is the law for Westerners in the KSA.

Consequently, his apartment was broken into several times, he was beaten by the local police, he has little or no money for basic personal necessities, he was previously abducted and locked up at the same mental institution several times and he has been attacked on the streets in Al Hassa.

I have his real name. Please PM me for details. Thank you
RUBALKHALI
][/b]

[veiledsentiments]

Rubalkhali... is it not possible that by this point in his long fight with his employer that he is truly having mental problems? Should not his government intervene and get him on a plane back to Canada?

Isn't that the next step here?

VS

[RUBALKHALI]

Dear VS:

I am not qualified to speculate on his mental state.

At this time, I think it is more important to support him.

Within the past hour, the Canadian government has called me and they confirmed that they will contact him today or tomorrow and try to resolve the matter.

However, messages to the link above will also help.

Thanks.

[veiledsentiments]

[Insubordination]

Are the messages going directly to him? Sort of 'hang in there mate' messages. If so, will he actually get them? I only know Sheikher by his posts, but it sounds as though he's in an horrific situation and needs be safe somewhere.

[veiledsentiments]

From the address it looks like a Canadian government web address...

http://www.international.gc.ca/international/index.aspx

Rubalkhali... is it not requesting that they step in to help him?

VS

[tatsuo1]

Sorry to hear about his fate. But stating a desire to commit suicide will get anyone into a psychiatric ward or mental institution.
Hope his government can help him.

[Al-Mansoor]

I was wondering where he'd disappeared to. I hope he gets what he wanted and unites with his family soon.

[Bebsi]

Hold on ...

You mean the guy won his case against his former employers and was offered a plane ticket back home, but refused to leave because he wanted more money, demanding to meet the king and threatening suicide at the same time?

And then, after being incarcerated in a mental asylum a number of times (which suggests he was also released a number of times), and after being attacked in the street, - a number of times - and had his house broken into - a number of times - he still didn't get the message?

I think, to use the words of Sir Humphrey Appleby in Yes, Minister, he made "a brave decision" to stay around.

I think when he gets let out the next time, he should continue his bravery and stage a protest on the streets of Riyadh to call for the downfall of the whole Royal Family.

That will surely get him on a plane home, with a bit of luck.

Should I put my sympathy in an envelope, or can I send some e-sympathy?

All joking aside, all I can say is that I sincerely hope he is let out soon, and is instantly put on a plane for his own safety and welfare.

[sheikh yer money-maker]

[Bebsi]

Or pathos?

[Bebsi]

All comments and personal opinions aside, I find this whole case rather interesting.

I do not condone police brutality anywhere, when it happens.

It would be useful here to have more information, in order to evaluate his situation better for ourselves.

- How long has he been in this current detention?

- How many times and for how long was he detained previously?

- What were the circumstances and nature of the physical attacks on him?

- Ditto, his home being 'broken into'.

- Does he have access to a lawyer?

- On what grounds is he being detained?

- Who 'abducted' him, and what were the circumstances?

BTW, it doesn't look to me like he had the right to a translator for his court case.

If we are talking about the Ottowa Principles, close attention to the following might be in order:

2.1.4 Any person accused, arrested or detained in relation to the commission of a terrorist offence has, at a minimum, the following rights:

c) the right to be promptly informed, in a language that the person can understand, of the reason for arrest or detention and the right to a translator when one is required to understand and participate in the hearings;

This instrument clearly refers to criminal matters. A labour dispute is not a criminal matter by a long stretch of the imagination.

What is the law that requires the Saudis to provide protection for westerners? If they are obliged to do so but don't, that could be serious, obviously.

[scot47]

Maybe the guy really is mad ?

[veiledsentiments]

[sheikh yer money-maker]