Waleed Abulkhair

Waleed Abulkhair
Waleed Abulkhair in November 2012
Born	(1979-06-17) 17 June 1979 (age 38) Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Occupation	Lawyer and human rights activist
Years active	2007-present
Children	Joud Waleed Abulkhair

Waleed Sami Abulkhair (Arabic: وليد أبوالخير‎‎) is a Saudi Arabian lawyer and human rights activist, and the head of the "Monitor of Human Rights in Saudi Arabia" (MHRSA) organization. He is the first activist to be prosecuted by the Terrorism Law. He was arrested on 15 April 2014 and was sent to Alhair "political prison" while prosecution. On July 6, 2014, Abulkhair was sentenced to 15 years in prison by the Specialized Criminal Court, (10 years executed and five suspended) and travel ban for another 15-year in addition to a fine of 200 thousand riyals. On 12 January 2015 the case returned from the Court of Appeal, after the judge requested increasing the previous judgment because AbuAlkhair refused to apologize. Thus, the judgment was tightened to 15-year executed. Abulkhair prayed for God’s victory and insisted not to recognize the court and the legitimacy of the SCC. Abulkhair resides now in Dahban Central Prison in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Waleed was born in Jeddah, west of Saudi Arabia. He comes from a Hejazi family of judges and Imams of the Holy Mosque. One of them is Abdullah Ahmed Murdad Abu Alkhair who taught in the Holy Mosque of Makkah. His class was near Alsafa door. He has a great knowledge in religious sciences, history and biographies. He became a judge in Makkah in the last days of Alshareef Hussain Bin Ali era until he died. Then he became the head of preachers and an Imam in the Holy Mosque.

He was killed in Ta'if massacre. He has a famous book entitled "Spreading Light and Flowers in the Biographies of the Great Men of Makkah from 10th to 11th Centuries.

Waleed's grandfather Mohammed Saeed AbuAlkhair was one of Jeddah commissioner who signed the agreement with King Abdulaziz under the condition that ruling Hejaz must be self-governing under the guidance of the Holy Quran and prophets sayings and the four leading Imams guidance.

Waleed's mother Elhaam Al Abbasi, also come from a well known Hejazi family. His mother had a huge impact on his character, and remains to be a strong influence on his personality.

Waleed's oldest uncle Yahya Abulkhair is a retired professor specialized in Geology. He used to teach in King Saud University. Waleed's younger uncle Sameer Abulkhair was a retired Major General working for the border guards sector in the Ministry of Interior in the Medina city.

Waleed got married to Samar Badawi. After two months of his detention, she gave birth to their daughter Joud. In 2015 November, while Abulkhair is still in prison, he and Samar Badawi agreed to divorce for personal reasons.