The demonstrators took to the streets in the holy city on Saturday.
Meanwhile, a similar demonstration was reported in the capital, Riyadh, which also witnessed an anti-government protest with the same demand on June 6.
The recent demonstrations in Medina and Riyadh were held in addition to such protests that have been held in the oil-rich Eastern Province over the past months.
Since February 2011, Saudi protesters have held demonstrations on an almost regular basis in the Eastern Province, mainly in the Qatif region and the town of Awamiyah, calling for the release of all political prisoners, freedom of expression and assembly, and an end to widespread discrimination.
However, the demonstrations have turned into protests against the Al Saud regime, especially since November 2011, when Saudi security forces killed five protesters and injured many others in the Eastern Province.
The Saudi interior ministry issued a statement on March 5, 2011, prohibiting “all forms of demonstrations, marches or protests, and calls for them, because that contradicts the principles of the Islamic Sharia, the values and traditions of Saudi society, and results in disturbing public order and harming public and private interests.”
In June, Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud ordered the country’s security forces to go on a state of high alert due to what he called a “turbulent situation” in the region.
According to Human Rights Watch, the Saudi regime “routinely represses expression critical of the government.”
