French man held in Saudi Arabia for over a year after Hajj scam

A French man detained in Mecca last year is facing a Saudi counter-terrorism court on charges stemming from a visa scam that he fell prey to while attending Hajj, a UK-based rights group has said.

Alqst said on Thursday that Abdelfattah, a father of three, is being tried on the charges of “illegal entry to Mecca” and “failing to report a helper”, as well as "insulting the government" and "praising prosecuted individuals".

The group said the man's last name has been withheld to protect his family's privacy. Alqst and his family are calling for Saudi authorities to immediately drop the charges against him.

His wife said her husband is "always there for his family, a man of science passionate about his work, and a kind, generous person".

She added: "He does not deserve to be behind bars."

Abdelfattah travelled to Saudi Arabia in June 2024 for the pilgrimage when he was stopped by police outside the Great Mosque of Mecca, the most sacred site in Islam.

It wasn't until the police asked him for his Hajj permit that he realised he had been scammed by the person who sold him his visa in France.

He was held at a local police station and then transferred to Dhahban Prison near Jeddah over 100 kilometres away.

Detained for more than a year, Alqst said Abdelfattah has been tortured repeatedly, including an attack in December in which six masked guards beat him, handcuffed him and placed him in solitary confinement for a week.

In July, while speaking on the phone to his wife, he was beaten by guards until he lost consciousness. 

Alqst said he has also been repeatedly denied access to legal representation and family visits. 

Between September 2024 and August 2025, Abdelfattah was permitted to make weekly, 15-minute phone calls to his wife, but they were cut whenever he attempted to discuss his treatment in prison or provide updates on his trial.

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The last call with his family was on 5 August. Since then, all contact with this family has been prohibited and prison authorities have only confirmed that he remains in custody, with no additional information, Alqst said.

The group also said that Abdelfattah was told initially that he would be released at the end of May, but was instead brought to trial in the Specialised Criminal Court for a first hearing without a lawyer. 

"Subsequent hearings made it clear that refusing to defend himself would be treated as an admission of the charges," Alqst said.

Abdelfattah's family has not been allowed to be present his court hearings and French diplomats have not attended any so far, including the latest one earlier this month.

Nadyeen Abdulaziz, Alqst's monitoring and advocacy officer, said: "Abdelfattah’s harsh treatment exposes the stark contrast between Saudi Arabia’s reformist image and its repressive reality.

"While citizens and migrant workers bear the brunt, his case reveals that even visiting foreigners can be at risk - raising concerns for those travelling for Hajj, tourism, or major sporting events.”

Middle East Eye has asked the Saudi and French governments for comment.