NOVANEWS
For Sixth Time in a Year
Saudi activist Walid Abu al-Kheir was transferred from al-Malz prison to al-Hayer prison in Riyadh, marking the sixth transfer between several facilities in less than a year of his detention, the Monitor of Human Rights in Saudi Arabia (MHRSA) said in a statement on Wednesday.
The last time Abu al-Kheir was transferred was on August 11, when he was severely beaten by Saudi officers and dragged from his shackles causing him injuries on his feet.
Wednesday’s transfer comes at the end of his hearing in front of a special tribunal for “terrorism.”
Abu al-Kheir was sentenced to 15 years in prison without bail. He was also banned from leaving the country for a similar time period after his release from prison.
Moreover, the activist was fined 200,000 Riyals ($53,300).
The court is the same body that convicted prominent cleric and pro-rights advocate Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr and sentenced him to death alongside four other pro-democracy advocates for criticizing the kingdom’s unfair doings and calling for greater rights for Saudi minorities.
Human Rights Watch has previously urged the Saudi authorities to abolish the Specialized Criminal Court, Saudi Arabia’s scandalous “terrorism tribunal.”
HRW said that analysis of trials of a number of human rights workers, peaceful dissidents, activists and critics of the Saudi regime revealed “serious due process concerns” such as “broadly framed charges,” “denial of access to lawyers,” and “quick dismissal of allegations of torture without investigation.”
Abu al-Kheir had previously refused to acknowledge the legitimacy of the court and rejected cooperating with it.
He also waived his right for an appeal.
MHRSA’s statement condemned the verdict against Abu al-Kheir, and his continuous detention in a remote region from where he used to reside, citing Principle 20 of the UN’s “Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment,” issued in 1988, which reads: “ If a detained or imprisoned person so requests, he shall if possible be kept in a place of detention or imprisonment reasonably near his usual place of residence.”
MHRSA could not confirm where exactly Abu al-Kheir was being held or anything regarding his current health conditions.
In April, a judge sentenced Abu al-Kheir to 15 years in jail for taking part in protests and defaming the kingdom by communicating with foreigners and through publishing articles on the Internet.
Saudi Arabia, which is on Reporters Without Borders’ (RSF) “Enemies of the Internet” list, has been particularly aggressive in policing the Internet, including by arresting those who post critical articles or comments.
Political activism can be penalized by death, as Saudi Arabia, like neighboring Bahrain, has taken a zero tolerance approach to all attempts at protest or dissent in the kingdom.
In the past years Saudi authorities have been criticized by international rights groups and accused of curbing freedom of speech and opinion for jailing several prominent activists on charges ranging from setting up an illegal organization to damaging the reputation of the country.
The last time Abu al-Kheir was transferred was on August 11, when he was severely beaten by Saudi officers and dragged from his shackles causing him injuries on his feet.
Wednesday’s transfer comes at the end of his hearing in front of a special tribunal for “terrorism.”
Abu al-Kheir was sentenced to 15 years in prison without bail. He was also banned from leaving the country for a similar time period after his release from prison.
Moreover, the activist was fined 200,000 Riyals ($53,300).
The court is the same body that convicted prominent cleric and pro-rights advocate Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr and sentenced him to death alongside four other pro-democracy advocates for criticizing the kingdom’s unfair doings and calling for greater rights for Saudi minorities.
Human Rights Watch has previously urged the Saudi authorities to abolish the Specialized Criminal Court, Saudi Arabia’s scandalous “terrorism tribunal.”
HRW said that analysis of trials of a number of human rights workers, peaceful dissidents, activists and critics of the Saudi regime revealed “serious due process concerns” such as “broadly framed charges,” “denial of access to lawyers,” and “quick dismissal of allegations of torture without investigation.”
Abu al-Kheir had previously refused to acknowledge the legitimacy of the court and rejected cooperating with it.
He also waived his right for an appeal.
MHRSA’s statement condemned the verdict against Abu al-Kheir, and his continuous detention in a remote region from where he used to reside, citing Principle 20 of the UN’s “Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment,” issued in 1988, which reads: “ If a detained or imprisoned person so requests, he shall if possible be kept in a place of detention or imprisonment reasonably near his usual place of residence.”
MHRSA could not confirm where exactly Abu al-Kheir was being held or anything regarding his current health conditions.
In April, a judge sentenced Abu al-Kheir to 15 years in jail for taking part in protests and defaming the kingdom by communicating with foreigners and through publishing articles on the Internet.
Saudi Arabia, which is on Reporters Without Borders’ (RSF) “Enemies of the Internet” list, has been particularly aggressive in policing the Internet, including by arresting those who post critical articles or comments.
Political activism can be penalized by death, as Saudi Arabia, like neighboring Bahrain, has taken a zero tolerance approach to all attempts at protest or dissent in the kingdom.
In the past years Saudi authorities have been criticized by international rights groups and accused of curbing freedom of speech and opinion for jailing several prominent activists on charges ranging from setting up an illegal organization to damaging the reputation of the country.
