Amnesty accuses Saudi Arabia of repression of reform protests

Dec 1, 2011, 8:33 GMT

London - Saudi Arabia has reacted with a new 'wave of repression' to protests and arrested hundreds of people demanding political and social reforms, the human rights group Amnesty International said Thursday.

'Peaceful protesters and supporters of political reform in the country have been targeted for arrest in an attempt to stamp out the kinds of call for reform that have echoed across the region,' said Amnesty's Middle East and North Africa director, Philip Luther.

'While the arguments used to justify this wide-ranging crackdown may be different, the abusive practices being employed by the Saudi Arabian government are worryingly similar to those which they have long used against people accused of terrorist offences,' he said.

In a 73-page report published in London, Amnesty said prominent reformists had been imprisoned following trials which were 'grossly unfair.'

So far, the unrest had largely been confined to the Shia minority in the east of the country, said Amnesty.

Since sporadic protests in February the Saudi government had carried out a crackdown that included the arrest of mainly Shia Muslims in the restive Eastern Province, Amnesty said.

Last week 16 men, including nine prominent reformists, were given sentences ranging from five to 30 years in prison, the report said.

The men were blindfolded and handcuffed during their trial, while their lawyer was not allowed to enter the court for the first three sessions, it added.

Amnesty said that the government continues to detain thousands of people on terrorism-related grounds. Torture and other ill-treatment in detention were widespread, it said.

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