Saudi protesters demand release of political detainees

ham

In a gathering outside the Attorney General’s office in the capital on Monday, they also demanded the release of political activists held in Saudi jails without trial. 

“My brother told me he was taken to court last year but it was a secret trial and they didn’t let him choose his own lawyer. It’s been over a year and we still don’t have the result of the trial. In my opinion, this trial is nothing but a show,” said a protester. 

Saudi Arabia has been under fire for its human rights record especially for the detention of many anti-government protesters since the onset of a popular uprising last year. 

Rights activists say hundreds of political prisoners remain locked up in Saudi jails under harsh conditions and without access to a lawyer.

People are randomly arrested by the Saudi police just for looking suspicious, and are held behind bars for years before they are even charged. 

According to Human Rights Watch (HRW), the Saudi regime ”routinely represses expression critical of the government.” 

The oil-rich Eastern Province has been the focal point of the anti-regime protests in Saudi Arabia. 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *