Saudi Arabia: Open letter signed by 6 intl. human rights groups "strongly condemns" alleged forced labour & extortion of Indian migrant worker by PIF-owned employer; incl. cos. non-responses
The wage theft and extortion placed a tremendous financial burden on [Ahmed Abdul Majeed] and has had serious long-term consequences for his family, on top of the emotional distress caused by a company to which he had given four decades of his life.Open letter signed by six international human rights organisations.
In September 2025, an open letter signed by six international human rights organisations “strongly condemned” the alleged forced labour of Indian migrant worker, Ahmed Abdul Majeed, by his employer, Seera Group.
The open letter says Abdul Majeed worked for Al Tayyar Travel (now Seera Group) for 40 years. The company allegedly underwent restructuring in 2017 following a “purge by authorities”, and it was placed under control of the Public Investment Fund (PIF) in 2019. In 2020, Abdul Majeed was allegedly arbitrarily dismissed, but his request to return home was denied and his passport confiscated, leaving him trapped in Saudi Arabia. The company allegedly forced him to continue working without pay, and he was coerced to pay outstanding clients' debts himself. The open letter says Abdul Majeed has not “receive any reimbursement or even acknowledgement” from Seera Group, despite “repeated appeals”.
Signatories of the letter are: ALQST for Human Rights, DAWN, Equidem, European Saudi Organisation for Human Rights, FairSquare and Gulf Centre for Human Rights. Read more about Abdul Majeed's case here.
The open letter says the case evidences how the country’s Kafala system makes workers vulnerable to exploitation by giving employers disproportionate power over their migrant employees, including their visa and residency status. It highlights how the Labour Reform Initiative of 2021 does not go far enough to change the Kafala system.
The open letter calls on the Saudi Arabian authorities to investigate the case and ensure Abdul Majeed receives remediation; to dismantle the Kafala system; to bring labour legislation in line with international standards, and to ensure companies controlled by state agencies such as the PIF protect migrant workers’ rights.
In September, the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited Seera Group and the PIF to respond to the open letter. The companies did not respond.