Saudi Arabia's Acpra

SAUDI ARABIA’S ACPRA HOW THE KINGDOM SILENCES ITS HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS

2 SAUDI ARABIA’S ACPRA HOW THE KINGDOM SILENCES ITS HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS

Front row, left to right: Dr Abdullah al-Hamid, Waleed Abu al-Khair, Dr Mohammad al-Qahtani, Sheikh Suliaman al-Rashudi, Dr Abdulkareem al-Khoder, following a trial session on al- Hamid and al-Qahtani. ©Private

INTRODUCTION allegiance to” Saudi Arabia’s ruler Amnesty International considers all and “questioning the integrity of eight detained members to be officials,” in connection with their prisoners of conscience and is This briefing focuses on the cases of peaceful activism in defence of calling on the Saudi Arabian 11 human rights activists in Saudi human rights in Saudi Arabia. Some authorities to release them Arabia who are either imprisoned or of them were held in pre-trial immediately and unconditionally. on trial and facing imprisonment. All detention for lengthy periods, denied The organization is also calling on 11 are founders or members of the access to lawyers and families, and the authorities to drop the charges Saudi Civil and Political Rights tortured or otherwise ill-treated by against those facing trial and ensure Association (ACPRA), an officially security officials. At least one was that the sentences and convictions unlicensed independent human denied legal representation at his of all ACPRA members are quashed. rights organization that campaigned trial. for the rights of political prisoners Prior to its suppression, ACPRA and detainees in Saudi Arabia until acted as a thorn in the side of the the authorities ordered its closure in “They [the authorities] Saudi Arabian government. ACPRA March 2013. weigh-up the pros and cons members spoke out repeatedly of detaining someone, so if against the detention practices of Five of the 11 ACPRA members are you push certain limits, you the Saudi Arabian authorities and detainees held without trial or go beyond a certain were especially critical of the awaiting re-trial – they have been threshold then it might be in Ministry of Interior and its feared held for periods of up to four years. their interest to go after you, security and intelligence branch, the Three are free pending the outcome and now maybe the time that General Directorate of Investigations of their trials. And another three are they go after us.” or al-Mabahith, whose officers wield serving prison terms of up to 15 extensive powers and are able to years to which they were sentenced, Mohammad al-Qahtani on ACPRA in an arrest, detain, torture and abuse in separate trials. All of their trials interview with TIME magazine, May those they suspect with impunity. were unfair. They were convicted on 2012. They use these powers not only vague charges, such as “breaking

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against terrorism suspects, but against virtually anyone who speaks out against the authorities, including peaceful critics such as those associated with ACPRA. Recently implemented anti-terror laws and decrees have extended a legal cover for these abuses of power where even peaceful criticism is all too readily branded as terrorism against the state.

The Saudi Arabian authorities are currently holding hundreds of untried political detainees, and have sentenced many others to long prison terms after unfair trials before the Specialized Criminal Court (SCC) or other courts. Many are alleged by ACPRA members outside court during the trial of Dr Mohammad al-Qahtani and Dr Abdullah al-Hamid. ©Private the authorities to have committed © violent offences, or to have human rights anchored in Islamic In 2004, the authorities licensed the supported violent and extremist © law and traditions, rather than the National Society for Human Rights, armed groups such as al-Qa’ida. more common human rights which they described as an Others, are human rights defenders discourse seen in Saudi Arabia as “independent” human rights and activists who have sought to western-oriented, and this may be organization although it relied on expose the abusive nature of the the real reason the authorities have state funding for its existence, and Saudi Arabian system of justice and made such efforts to suppress it. in 2005 they founded a national to promote reforms that could bring human rights commission. In 2009, that system into line with the other states elected Saudi Arabia to requirements of international law, a seat on the United Nation’s newly including human rights treaties that BACKGROUND formed Human Rights Council Saudi Arabia has ratified. By (HRC), successor to the UN defending rights and speaking out, Human rights activism is not new to Commission on Human Rights, and the ACPRA members and a small Saudi Arabia. Activists within the in the same year Saudi Arabian group of other courageous human country have spoken out publicly government representatives rights advocates, appear to have against human rights violations since announced ambitious reform pledges been seen by Saudi Arabia’s rulers at least the early 1990s, despite the at the country’s first Universal as challenging their authority and risks of government retaliation this Periodic Review (UPR) at the HRC. policies, and to have been targeted entails, and in recent years formed a in consequence. ACPRA, number of independent human rights Five years later, as Saudi Arabia’s particularly, appears to have been organizations. These have sought representatives returned from perceived by the Saudi Arabian both to monitor and document attending its second UPR in 2014, authorities to offer such a challenge ongoing violations as well as to the human rights picture appears far because it espoused a philosophy of engage with the government to bleaker. Now, virtually all of the promote human rights reforms. country’s leading human rights activists are the imprisoned victims During the last decade, it seemed of an unrelenting official crackdown that these organizations’ efforts were on criticism, dissent and other beginning to pay off. It appeared exercise of the right to freedom of that the Saudi Arabian authorities expression. Using vague and broadly- had accepted the need for change framed terror charges, the authorities and were about to build on measures have also locked up hundreds of they had taken in the 1990s, notably people they claim are a threat to the by adopting a Basic Law of state, including many who have been

Fowzan al-Harbi, Dr Mohammad al-Qahtani, Government and by ratifying certain held without either charge or trial for Abdullah al-Hamid in court, 2013. ©Iman al- international human rights treaties. Qahtani

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“The absence of the spirit to consult leads to despotism, and despotism brings about enslavement and persecution which kill the nation's freedom and vitality. The will of the nation therefore breaks down, and so do its administration and economy, giving way to desolation and collapse.”

From Abdullah al-Hamid’s talk on "Peaceful jihad, the remedy to violence and governmental and national extremism". Uploaded to YouTube on 4 December 2012. Left to right: Fowzan al-Harbi, Dr Abdulrahman al-Hamid, Abdulaziz al-Shubaily, Issa al-Hamid. ©Private years. The government has or face adverse consequences. Those their websites had carried, with responded to peaceful protests in who persisted despite the warnings chilling effect. Officials told human favour of reform and greater political were summoned for interrogations rights activists, victims and their rights, and on behalf of victims of and “offered” a choice – sign a families not to contact international rights violations, by using force to pledge to cease their activities or go organizations such as Amnesty crush them, particularly in the to prison. International and the international Eastern Province where most of the media, and to shut down their social country’s Shi’a Muslim minority live. In 2012 and 2013, the authorities media accounts through which they The crackdown appears to have been also sought to counter the growing reported human rights violations. sparked, at least in part, by the Arab role of online activism and social uprisings of 2011 that saw the media, as evidenced in the Egyptian By mid-2014, the government had ousting of longstanding authoritarian and other uprisings, either by put in place a number of anti- rulers in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya. banning outright or subjecting all terrorism legislation and executive Saudi Arabia gave sanctuary to encrypted social networking decrees that, in effect, criminalize Tunisia’s deposed leader, sent forces applications (such as Skype, virtually all forms of peaceful into Bahrain to help the government WhatsApp, Viber, Line) to monitoring dissent. This included a new anti- confront protesters there, and moved by Saudi Arabia’s security agencies. terrorism law that King Abdullah bin quickly to prevent any public The authorities summoned or Abdul Aziz Al Saud approved in expression of dissent in Saudi arrested founders of websites December 2013 and which came Arabia. The Ministry of Interior perceived as critical, bloggers and into effect on 1 February 2014. The reaffirmed a long-standing ban on online activists and questioned them new law defines terrorism vaguely public demonstrations in early March about comments they had made or and in terms so broad as to 2011, and the authorities turned up criminalize activities that amount to the heat on Saudi Arabian no more than the legitimate human rights activists. Some Freedom of peaceful assembly exercise of human rights. learnt that the authorities For instance according to Article 1 any act that had banned them from All forms of peaceful gathering and demonstrations in Saudi Arabia are banned travelling abroad, without according to an announcement by the Ministry of Interior on 5 March 2011. directly or indirectly aims at formally notifying them, “disturbing the public order of the state”, “destabilising giving a reason or allowing Those who break the ban are charged with “participating in or calling for the security of society, or them any means to challenge demonstrations” and “disobeying the ruler” and face imprisonment the stability of the state”, the decision. Others received accordingly. “messages” from Interior “endangering its national unity”, “revoking the basic Ministry officials or their In some cases, the authorities have punished peaceful demonstrators through law of governance”, proxies instructing them to harsher sentences by adding additional charges to the above, such as “inciting “harming the reputation of cease their activism, violence”, “inciting the people against the authorities”, and even “using the state or its standing” is including for women’s rights, violence” where there has been no evidence to support those charges. considered a terrorist act.

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The new law also reinforced the Ministry of Interior’s already extensive powers to detain critics and opponents of the government. Alongside an existing cyber-crime law, introduced in 2007, the new anti-terrorism law appears designed to serve as a further tool through which the authorities aim to stifle even peaceful dissent.

The enactment of the new anti-terror law was followed in March 2014 by the promulgation of a series of decrees by the Ministry of Interior that define activities such as “calling for atheist thought” and “contacting any groups or individuals opposed to the Kingdom” as acts of terrorism. Similarly, those deemed by the Gathering of ACPRA members and supporters. ©Private authorities to be “seeking to disrupt national unity by calling for protests reaffirmed the role of the SCC as the exposing themselves to the risk of or demonstrations” and those competent court to try cases arbitrary arrest and detention, considered to be “harming other involving alleged offences against torture, unfair trial and long years of states and their leader” are also national security. imprisonment. In true “Catch-22” liable under the decrees to be style, the Saudi Arabian authorities prosecuted and imprisoned on Saudi Arabia has no law on have prevented independent human terrorism charges. Moreover, the associations that regulates the rights organizations such as ACPRA decrees do not seek to address only establishment and operation of from obtaining licenses that would independent associations, such as allow them to operate legally, while human rights organizations. A draft prosecuting the activists affiliated to Freedom of association law has been pending since 2008. them as criminals for operating an In practice, the authorities do not organization without a licence. Saudi Arabia is yet to pass a Law of permit independent organizations, Associations to determine the process of other than charities, to operate in Human rights activists form only a establishing NGOs such as human rights Saudi Arabia; they require small minority today of those organizations, despite a draft law that was associations to obtain a license from suffering under the wave of state finalized in 2008. the authorities before they can repression sweeping Saudi Arabia. operate legally, but they do not issue Yet, they play a vital role in a country In the absence of such a law, human licenses to organizations or that has no independent media, rights organizations cannot obtain legal associations of which they allows no independent political recognition and their members can be, and disapprove. Moreover, it is a criminal parties, has no legislature capable of have been, arrested and charged with offence to establish or operate an holding the executive authorities to “forming an unlicensed organization.” organization without obtaining a account, no independent judiciary, license from the government. This and where the authorities have made creates an immense obstacle to the it a crime to “communicate with future cases; those alleged to have development of civil society in Saudi external entities,” such as Amnesty committed similar acts in the past Arabia and, combined with the ban that are now criminalized as on demonstrations, makes it virtually terrorism under the decrees are also impossible for people within the liable to prosecution, breaching the country – such as mainstream international legal principle political and human rights activists, prohibiting retroactive punishment. women’s rights campaigners, In June 2014, the Ministry of advocates of minority rights, and Justice issued a “confidential and foreign migrant workers facing exploitation or abuse – to publicly urgent judicial decree” that Dr Abdullah al-Hamid sitting in court articulate their opinions without awaiting his trial. ©Private

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International and other international Drawing on Shari’a law and Islamic ACPRA’s main goals include: NGOs. The members of ACPRA and traditions, ACPRA argued for a new other human rights activists have system of government attuned to the . Promoting human rights as set out in made a crucial contribution in popular will and based on a Islamic law and traditions, and based exposing and documenting violations constitution and the rule of law; a on values such as justice, freedom, of human rights by the government separation of powers and an cultural and political diversity, and and its security and intelligence independent judiciary; popular forgiveness; agencies, in seeking to hold Saudi representation and government

Arabia to its obligations under accountability; and a vibrant civil . The establishment of a new system of international law and treaties, and in society whose members actively government attuned to the popular will showing the courage to stand up and participate in decision-making and and based on a constitution and the speak out for justice and human are aware of their civil, political, rule of law, a separation of powers and rights. The Saudi Arabian authorities social, economic and cultural rights. an independent judiciary, popular are making them pay a heavy price representation and government as a result. The founding document called for accountability, and a vibrant civil the protection and promotion of society. This includes: human rights through peaceful WHAT IS ACPRA? means, including research and . Setting up a Supreme documentation of alleged violations, Constitutional Court; the publication of fact-finding and . Separating the Bureau of other reports, outreach and Investigation and Prosecution advocacy, and awareness-raising from the Ministry of Interior; initiatives, such as workshops and . Electing a Prime Minister; lectures. It sought also to create safe . Reforming the Ministry of Interior and accessible means for victims of and limiting its powers; human rights violations to report . Electing local governors and ACPRA logo from the organization’s official website. ©ACPRA their cases, and advocated in favour councils; of peaceful human rights activism as ACPRA was formed in 2009 by a the only alternative to the violence . A law of associations to be passed, group of about 15 activists who that those whose rights are enabling people to set up all forms of decided that the organization should suppressed frequently turn to when civil society associations, including operate through a system of they have no other means of human rights organizations, and collective leadership and regularly pursuing redress. protecting them from government rotate its presidency, partly to reduce interference; the risk that any single leader would From the outset, the ACPRA activists be targeted by the authorities. It saw the rights of detainees and . Enabling the formation of political established a presence in several prisoners as a key human rights parties, and recognition of the right to parts of the country, including the concern due to the abrogation of peaceful political opposition; central al-Qassim region most their rights by the authorities, the affected by the government’s internal lack of support available to them and . Respect and protection of freedom of “war on terror.” ACPRA’s income their families in society at large, and expression and enabling individuals came from its members’ financial the impunity with which state and groups to set up newspapers and contributions and it operated from security and intelligence forces were other media outlets. the residence of one of its members able to carry out arbitrary arrests and until the authorities forcibly shut the detentions, torture and other ill- organization down in March 2013. treatment, enforced disappearance in detention facilities and prisons, ACPRA’s founding document and even unlawful killings of those provided legal assistance where they committed it to the promotion of a they suspected of terrorism. Some could to detainees and those distinctly Islamic concept of human ACPRA members had already been charged with security-related crimes, rights, based on values such as individually assisting detainees and supported detainees’ families, and justice, freedom, cultural and their families, and the organization participated in peaceful protests to political diversity, and forgiveness, they founded quickly established call for detainees’ rights. which were seen by its members as itself as an important source of legal predating the modern system of and other support for terror-related Eight of the 11 men who put their international human rights law. detainees and their families. ACPRA names to ACPRA’s founding reported on human rights violations document are now in prison

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ACPRA was also particularly critical of the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Interior, calling it “a state within a state” because of the excessive powers it wields. The Ministry has its own investigative body, the General Directorate of Investigations (GDI), or al-Mabahith, that effectively supersedes the authority of the public prosecutor’s office, and appears to wield enormous influence over the SCC which has jurisdiction over terrorism-related cases and whose proceedings are conducted in secret. The Ministry also operates its own detention facilities. In practice, the Interior Ministry operates as if it is above the law and unaccountable, Three of ACPRA’s members, including Dr Mohammad al-Qahtani, Dr Abdullah al-Hamid and Fowzan al-Harbi. ©Private and its security and intelligence officials commit human rights themselves because of their peaceful violations with impunity – while campaigning for the rights of people WHY HAS ACPRA BEEN those who seek to expose or take detained or imprisoned as terrorism TARGETED? issue with the Ministry’s abuses, as suspects. Three of those eight are the ACPRA cases demonstrate, face severe repression. serving prison terms of up to 15 ACPRA is not the only unlicensed Saudi Arabian human rights organization that the authorities have “Many human rights targeted, but it was targeted first and THE SILENCING OF ACPRA defenders singled out for the most severe treatment. One reason for this may firmly believe that the The government’s crackdown on be the profile of some of ACPRA’s greatest injustices ever are ACPRA began in early 2011 when founding members, who included the policies of the Minister security officials arrested long-standing activists and public of Interior in suppressing Mohammed al-Bajadi, one of the figures experienced in Shari’a law public freedoms and dignity. organization’s founders, after he and Islamic jurisprudence, whom the attended a peaceful protest by authorities could not readily dismiss From the statement signed by Dr families of long-held political as activists promoting an “alien”, Abdulrahman al-Hamid on 12 April “western” and “atheist” culture of 2014, five days prior to his arrest. human rights. ACPRA presented a more profound challenge to the legitimacy of the authorities’ years. Two are detained without any interpretations of human rights in charge or trial. Three had their initial Islam and to their assertions of sentences overturned and are cultural particularity because it awaiting their retrial while still in sought to root its human rights detention. Of the 11, three remain discourse in Shari’a law and free pending the outcome of their jurisprudence. Its founders included trials. It is feared that these three - a former judge and practicing in addition to the three who are lawyers, professors of Islamic currently undergoing trial while in Mohammed al-Bajadi with his two children during jurisprudence and Arabic literature, his temporary release in August 2013. ©Private detention - will be tried at the SCC and public figures with strong under the provisions of the new anti- Islamic credentials. By daring to detainees outside the Interior terror law. challenge the authorities’ Ministry in Riyadh. In April 2012, interpretations of human rights in the SCC sentenced him to four years Islam, they put themselves at risk. in prison after an unfair trial in

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which he was denied legal most eminent founding members, Dr Other human rights organizations representation. He was found guilty Abdullah al-Hamid and Dr forcibly shut down: of participating in the establishment Mohammad al-Qahtani, and ordered of an unlicensed organization, the disbanding of ACPRA, the . Adala Center for Human Rights harming the image of the state confiscation of its property, and the (2011-2013): one founding member through the media, calling on the removal of its social media accounts sentenced to 15 years in prison in families of political detainees to partly on the grounds that it was an 2014. protest and hold sit-ins, contesting unlicensed organization and the independence of the judiciary, therefore operating illegally. . The Monitor of Human Rights in and having banned books in his Dr Abdullah al-Hamid and Dr Saudi Arabia (2008 - 2014): possession. Mohammad al-Qahtani were founder sentenced to 15 years in sentenced to 11 and 10 years in prison in 2014. In March 2012, the authorities prison respectively on charges of began interrogating Dr Abdullah al- “breaking allegiance to the ruler”, . Union for Human Rights (2013): Hamid and Dr Mohammad al- “questioning the integrity of founding members currently under Qahtani regarding their work with officials”, “seeking to disrupt investigation. ACPRA and their peaceful activism. security and inciting disorder by Their trial began in June 2012. calling for demonstrations”, and allegiance to the ruler and “instigating international disobeying him” and “participating organizations against the Kingdom”. in forming an organization called ‘Tawasso’ in order to spread chaos On 24 April 2013, the authorities under the cover of advice and arrested Dr Abdulkareem al-Khoder reform”. He had been at liberty for as he was about to appear for the 18 months awaiting the outcome of fourth session of his trial before the an appeal before his re-arrest, which Criminal Court on charges that came two days after a video included “inciting disorder by calling recording of a private talk he had for demonstrations”, “insulting the given, in which he argued that tenets judicial authority”, and of Islamic law guarantee the right to “participating in the founding of an peaceful protest, was posted online. unlicensed organization”.

The main government onslaught His arrest occurred when he refused Sheikh Suliaman al-Rashudi and his daughter. ©Private against ACPRA came in March 2013 to enter the court in protest against when the Criminal Court imposed the judge’s decision to bar a group of The authorities next arrested Saleh long prison terms on two of ACPRA’s about 10 women from entering the al-Ashwan, early on 7 July 2012 in a Riyadh street as he left a mosque after attending dawn prayers. He then disappeared and remained missing for two months, until his family and lawyer learnt that he was being held at al-Ha’ir prison in Riyadh. More than two years after his arrest, he continues to be detained without charge or trial, and without any means of challenging his detention.

On December 2012, the authorities arrested Sheikh Suliaman al- Rashudi, a former judge and well- known advocate of political reform, who had previously been sentenced to 15 years of imprisonment on charges that included “breaking Left to right: Dr Abdullah al-Hamid, Waleed Abu al-Khair, Dr Mohammad al-Qahtani, following a session in the trial of al-Hamid and al-Qahtani. ©Private

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CHARGES WHICH HAVE BEEN courtroom to observe Prison in Riyadh until BROUGHT AGAINST ACPRA his trial. In June 2013 days before his trial MEMBERS: the court convicted Dr ended in June 2014. al-Khoder and The court convicted  “Breaking allegiance to and sentenced him to eight him and imposed a disobeying the ruler,” years in prison. seven-year prison

sentence to be  “Questioning the integrity of In May 2014, his followed by a seven- officials,” retrial started after the year ban on travel

Court of Appeal sent outside Saudi Arabia.  “Seeking to disrupt security and the case back to the The court also banned inciting disorder by calling for Criminal Court, only for him from participating demonstrations,” the judge to rule that in social media and the case exceeded his from socialising with  “Disseminating false information jurisdiction and should people until he to foreign groups,” be transferred to the repents.

SCC for trial due to the Fowzan al-Harbi and his two children. ©Private  “Forming or participating in nature of the charges. The BIP summoned forming an unlicensed The Criminal Court judge also two other ACPRA founders, prison and a flogging of 300 lashes. organization.” ordered the release of Dr al-Khoder Abdulaziz al-Shubaily and Issa al- pending trial, but the authorities did Hamid (the last of the founding not comply and he remained in Fowzan al-Harbi, another of ACPRA’s members of ACPRA to remain at detention. founding members, was summoned liberty), for interrogation in for interrogation by the Bureau of Investigation and Prosecution (BIP) on 11 May 2013. He was charged “[ACPRA] are among the few with “destabilising security and people in the Kingdom who spreading chaos”, “inciting public walked their talk in relation to opinion against the authorities” by human rights and reform. among other things, “signing Their courage is astonishing statements calling to break allegiance to the ruler,” and in such a society and they Abdulaziz al-Shubaily and Issa al-Hamid on the have paid the highest price “participating in setting up an beach. ©Private for their peaceful struggle." unlicensed organization”. November 2013. Issa al-Hamid was charged with offences such as Abdulaziz al-Hussan, lawyer for some He went on trial before the Criminal “inciting against public order” and ACPRA members, 2014. Court in Riyadh in early December “spreading chaos by participating in 2013, and was detained at the end the drafting and publishing of a of the second trial session on 26 statement calling for December. The authorities gave no demonstrations”, “disrespecting the Four days after the arrest of reason for his arrest and he remained judicial authorities”, as well as Abdulkareem al-Khoder, al-Mabahith in detention at al-Malaz “communicating wrong information summoned Omar al-Sa’id, ACPRA’s to third parties in order to harm the youngest member, for questioning image of the state” and and detained him when he insisted Persecution of other Saudi Arabian human rights activists: “participating in setting up an that his lawyer, who had unlicensed organization”. His accompanied him, should attend Waleed Abu al-Khair: sentenced to 15 years in prison in 2014; trial began in June 2014 before his interrogation. the Criminal Court at Buraydah Fadhel al-Manasif: sentenced to 15 years in prison in 2014; but the judge directed that his He faced similar charges to those case be transferred to the SCC. brought against the other ACPRA Mikhlif al-Shammari: sentenced to 5 years in prison in 2013; Abdulaziz al-Shubaily was put on members and went on trial on 10 trial on a similar list of charges June 2013 before the Criminal Fawzia al-Oyouni: sentenced to 10 months in prison in 2013; before the same court in Court in Buraydah, in the north- September 2014. central al-Qassim region. On 12 Wajeha al-Huwaider: sentenced to 10 months in prison in 2013; December 2013, the court Dr Abdulrahman al-Hamid, was sentenced him to four years in

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called for questioning by the due to cross the border into a Charges that have been brought Criminal Investigation Department neighbouring state in 2010. Such against ACPRA’s members: (CID) in Buraydah in April 2014. bans, which the government has also When he arrived, police told him applied to other Saudi Arabian . they had a warrant for his arrest. He human rights activists, arbitrarily “Breaking allegiance to and was detained incommunicado for 30 restrict the right to freedom of disobeying the ruler,” days, during which he went on movement, which includes the right . hunger strike in protest. of every person to leave (and return “Questioning the integrity of to) their own country. The unjust and officials,” arbitrary nature of the bans is . underlined by the fact that those “Seeking to disrupt security and who are subject to them have no inciting disorder by calling for means of remedy. They cannot demonstrations,” challenge them in the courts or . before any other independent body. “Inciting public opinion against the In essence, the bans are a form of authorities” administrative punishment imposed . by the authorities as a sanction for “Forming or participating in forming Dr Abdulrahman al-Hamid. ©Private their activism. an unlicensed organization.”

The authorities moved him in May to The ACPRA activists were also Buraydah Prison in al-Qassim and subject to other forms of official When summoned to such permitted him to contact his family. harassment, including messages sent interrogations, activists were usually In September, he was still detained to them by the authorities either told that they must sign statements without charge. directly or through intermediaries vowing not to repeat their “crimes” warning them that they were under or else face charges, trial and

scrutiny and that they should cease imprisonment. The system is one that operates directly counter to the VIOLATIONS principle of presumption of TRAVEL BANS AND OTHER innocence. Most of the 11 ACPRA HARASSMENT members were called for such interrogations before their eventual Like many other Saudi Arabian imprisonment. Some were arrested activists, before their arrests the while attending such interrogations; ACPRA members faced many others were charged with offences obstacles in their efforts to defend and remained at liberty until their human rights and hold the trials had begun, but were then authorities accountable for abuses. arrested without the authorities The Ministry of Interior banned all disclosing any reason. Two members 11 of them from travelling outside of ACPRA were arrested without Saudi Arabia. They were given no being first summoned for prior notice of the travel bans, no Dr Mohammad al-Qahtani and his four children interrogation; in September 2014, reason for their imposition, and no after his graduation in May 2002. ©Private both men remained in detention means to appeal or overturn the without any charge or trial. bans. At least one of the ACPRA their activities or expect to face members learnt of his ban only when severe consequences, such as arrest, he arrived at the airport expecting to interrogation and imprisonment. take a flight to a neighbouring state, Some received messages telling only to be told by border security them to stop their use of the internet officials that he was subject to an and social media, and to close their indefinite ban on travel abroad and online accounts, or face a summons turned back. Sheikh Suliaman al- from the CID for interrogation by the Rashudi has not been permitted to BIP about comments they had travel outside Saudi Arabia since tweeted or posted online, and their 1993. Dr Abdulkareem al-Khoder contacts with foreign media and learnt that he was subject to a ban Fowzan al-Harbi and Abdulaziz al-Shubaily on the international organizations such as beach. ©Private on foreign travel only when he was Amnesty International.

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INCOMMUNICADO DETENTION, TORTURE AND OTHER OTHER ILL-TREATMENT

Most of the ACPRA members were detained incommunicado for periods ranging from a few days to several months before they were brought to trial. Mohammed al-Bajadi was held incommunicado for three weeks after uniformed security officials accompanied by others in plain clothes seized him, without producing a warrant, as he made his way to work on 21 March 2013.

His family had no news of him for over two weeks, until he was allowed Dr Abdullah al-Hamid and Saleh al-Ashwan. ©Private to phone his wife on 5 April 2013.

They were permitted to visit him for refused to disclose his whereabouts family only after going on hunger the first time only after he had been until his lawyer and his brother strike found out where he was being held. They were told that he was being UNFAIR TRIALS "A security officer asked me, questioned for participating in a The Saudi Arabian authorities ‘do you have any imprisoned protest. He remained in prosecuted the ACPRA members on relatives?’ I said, yes all incommunicado detention for two vague charges that are not clearly prisoners are my family. He months, repeatedly interrogated defined in law and which equate replied - and I quote him- ‘Do without the assistance of a lawyer, peaceful political activities to you want to join them in and allegedly tortured and degraded terrorism. Of the list of charges prison?’ I replied, No... we by being stripped, beaten, and made available to Amnesty want them released." suspended by his limbs from the ceiling of an interrogation room. International the most common were “breaking allegiance to and Tweet from Mohammed al-Bajadi disobeying the ruler” of Saudi Sheikh Suliaman al-Rashudi, during the protest which he attended on Arabia, “questioning the integrity of arrested without a warrant on 12 20 March 2011. He was arrested the officials,” and “seeking to disrupt December 2012, was detained following day. security and inciting disorder by incommunicado and in solitary confinement for two months, despite his advanced years – he was 76 at

the time – before the authorities in detention for seven months. He allowed him any contact with his had no access to a lawyer and is family. reported to have been subjected to verbal abuse and other ill-treatment Dr Abdulrahman al-Hamid was during his detention. arrested on 17 April 2014 when he responded to a summons to report to Saleh al-Ashwan’s arrest on 7 July the CID in Buraydah. He was told 2012 was carried out by a large there was a warrant for his arrest but group of security officials who he never saw it. For 30 days he was surrounded him as he made his way detained incommunicado and home after attending early morning interrogated at length about his role prayers at a mosque. They produced and activities with ACPRA, and no warrant for his arrest but took him about statements he had signed. He to his home and searched it, taking was moved to another place of away all computers and phones they Dr Abdulkareem al-Khoder and Abdulaziz al- detention and allowed to contact his Shubaily following a session in the trial of al- found there. At first, the authorities Khoder, 2013. ©Private

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calling for demonstrations” as well trial court, which the court then as “disseminating false information accepted as proof of their guilt.For "The call for peaceful to foreign groups” and “forming or example, the General Prosecution’s demonstrations to lift participating in forming an assertion that Dr Abdullah al-Hamid, injustice and tyranny, and to unlicensed organization.” Some of Dr Abdulkareem al-Khoder and Issa remove corruption and restore the charges themselves are contrary al-Hamid had written and stolen freedom and disseminated a statement entitled humiliated dignity is a call for “Freedom of demonstration is the the good and to promote safety valve against the government virtue and prevent vice. These and civil violence: 20 proposals to are divinely ordained duties double the success of for all believers. For as long demonstrations”, was enough to as the purpose is legitimate, convince the trial court that it had any permissible means of been their intention to “spread achieving it is not only chaos,” even if no such chaos legitimate but also obligatory. occurred. Peaceful demonstrations therefore are an expression According to the General and a means to these Prosecution, letters that some legitimate ends." ACPRA members had openly

Omar al-Sa’id and his daughter. ©Private addressed to Saudi Arabia’s king and From Suliaman al-Rashudi’s talk on the statements they had made calling for legality of peaceful demonstration in prosecution of the Interior Minister Islamic Shari'a that led to his arrest. The to human rights standards because for torture and other human rights talk was uploaded 11 December 2012 and they criminalize the peaceful violations were ample evidence that he was arrested the following day. exercise of human rights. In other they had “broken allegiance to the cases, overly broad and vague ruler,” and shown disrespect for the charges were used to prosecute Saudi Arabian authorities, and formation, which is generally ACPRA members for exercising their thereby committed serious crimes. considered an acceptable means of rights to peaceful assembly, freedom forming a charitable organization in of expression and freedom of the absence of a law for associations. The ACPRA members were also charged with, and convicted of, associations. Additionally, ACPRA forming or participating in an illegal and its members were accused of To support these charges the General organization, despite informing the spreading discord and making public Prosecution usually submitted a list authorities of the organization’s accusations against the authorities. of actions by the defendants to the One “proof” of this that the General Prosecution listed was an ACPRA statement criticizing the authorities’ forcible suppression of a protest by prisoners’ families.

Saudi Arabian prosecutors also laid charges against the ACPRA members under article 6 of the 2007 Cyber- crime Law, citing tweets and messages that they had posted online as evidence that they had breached the law’s prohibition on producing, preparing, transmitting or storing materials deemed to impinge upon public order. For example, prosecutors accused Omar al-Sa’id of possessing a Twitter account and using it to tweet statements that the authorities deemed disrespectful to them. As well, prosecutors accused

ACPRA members outside the Criminal Court in Buraydah, during a hearing in the trial of Dr him of using social media to call for Abdulkareem al-Khoder, 2013. ©Private

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observe the proceedings at the fourth session without reason. The women were denied entry to the courtroom and the judge ordered the detention of Dr al-Khoder, who had been at liberty until then, when he objected to the barring of the women from the court. He remains in detention despite a judicial order to release him. Fowzan al-Harbi was also still at liberty when his trial commenced, but then detained by order of the judge, who gave no reason, at the end of the trial’s second session. He then spent six months in detention before being released two days before his sentencing. He is currently free awaiting the outcome of his appeal. The sentence he is Dr Abdullah al-Hamid and Dr Mohammad al-Qahtani with their lawyer, Abdulaziz al-Hussan, in court. ©Private appealing bans him from both participating in social media and demonstrations and marches, and of process. For example, Mohammed socialising with others until he filming such events and posting the al-Bajadi, the first to stand trial, was “repents”, opening him to the risk of footage online. In other cases, denied access to a lawyer during his re-arrest and imprisonment if he is prosecutors accused Dr Abdullah al- lengthy pre-trial detention and also deemed to have violated these bans Hamid of posting an article on his during the trial itself. He learnt that that appear intended to subject him Facebook page entitled “Terrorism of he had been sentenced to four years to social isolation as a form of the Ministry of Interior” concerning in prison, followed by a five-year ban punishment. alleged human rights violations by on travel outside Saudi Arabia, only Interior Ministry officials, and Dr when the detaining authorities Abdulkareem al-Khoder of informed him. The authorities did denigrating the Saudi Arabian not publicly disclose the charges authorities when he appeared in a TV against him or his sentence. Nor was programme and accused them of he or his lawyer present when the suppressing rights and freedoms. Court of Appeal reviewed, and Fowzan al-Harbi was also accused of overturned his conviction and posting ACPRA’s statements on the sentence. His subsequent retrial organization’s website and commenced with neither he nor his retweeting those posts from his defence team present at the

account. hearings. Sheikh Suliaman al-Rashudi, Dr Mohammad al- Qahtani and Dr Abdullah al-Hamid during one of Prosecutors accused Dr Mohammad The trials of some ACPRA members ACPRA’s talks. ©Private al-Qahtani and Issa al-Hamid of were conducted in courtrooms communicating with international packed with al-Mabahith officers in bodies in order to harm the plain clothes, placing the judges as Kingdom’s image abroad, but well as the defendants and their HARASSMENT AND ILL- provided no evidence to substantiate lawyers and supporters, if any were TREATMENT IN PRISON the charge or to show how and to allowed to be present, under scrutiny what extent Saudi Arabia’s standing and pressure. While al-Mabahith The targeted harassment of ACPRA’s had been damaged, if at all. The agents were able to gain access to members has continued in prison. seven ACPRA members sentenced the trials, members of the public All of them have complained about were all convicted on charges that were sometimes banned from their prison conditions and either do not amount to recognizable entering the courtroom for unknown discriminatory treatment. Their crimes or were used to criminalize reasons. The judge presiding at the books and personal belongings have the peaceful exercise of human trial of Dr Abdulkareem al-Khoder been arbitrarily confiscated. They rights, and after trials that breached barred a group of women, including have shared the miserable fundamental principles of due family members, who wished to experience of being in a Saudi

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Arabian prison where wards that are several other prisoners were authorities responded by placing the equipped to accommodate 80 reportedly taken from their prison latter in solitary confinement. Since prisoners frequently contain 300 or cells by masked guards and left for then, 66 year-old Dr Abdullah al- more inmates sleeping on the floor, two days, blindfolded, in a room Hamid has been moved between often without mattresses or blankets without any bedding, and then found different wards, in some of which and frequently must queue for long hygiene standards are poor and periods to use the toilet. They prisoners are allowed to smoke, receive poor food and rarely see the despite the danger this poses to their sun. The ACPRA prisoners serving own and other inmates’ health. He prison sentences are held together requires dental treatment, having with other convicted prisoners, lost his front teeth in August 2014, including some convicted of violent but two months later he is yet to crimes. The UN Standard Minimum receive it. He is held in a prison Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners section whose other inmates are require that “the different categories mostly foreign migrants, many of of prisoners shall be kept in separate whom do not speak Arabic. institutions or parts of institutions taking account of their sex, age, criminal record, the legal reason for Dr Mohammad al-Qahtani and two of his sons their detention and the necessities of during his trial. ©Private “The world is dying around us their treatment”. in search of freedom and

dignity. Is it too much to spend At least four of the ACPRA prisoners that their personal belongings had few nights in detention for have undertaken hunger strikes to disappeared when they were returned them? protest against their treatment and to their cells. When he complained conditions in detention and prison. about the incident he was sent to Mohammed al-Bajadi was Mohammed al-Bajadi has launched solitary confinement for a month and released and that is true. But hunger strike protests several times, was only returned to his cell after he there is a bigger truth: many are during which Saudi Arabian prison went on hunger strike to protest that still detained like Mohammed authorities are reported to have fed arbitrary decision. al-Bajadi and waiting for your him intravenously despite his serious and steadfast stand.” objection, causing him stomach Dr Abdullah al-Hamid and Dr pain. He is said to have lost weight Mohammad al-Qahtani, both of From Mohammed al-Bajadi’s tweets during during his incarceration and to have whom have been held in prison his temporary release in August 2013. been denied medical treatment that wards used for violent criminal he had requested from the offenders, went on hunger strike in authorities. In July 2012, he and March 2014, to which the Two weeks after his arrest, Dr Abdulrahman al-Hamid started a Flogging as corporal punishment in Saudi Arabia hunger strike in protest of his unjustified arrest and detention Flogging is used extensively as corporal punishment in Saudi Arabia despite it being a state party to incommunicado. He was then moved the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment to Buraydah prison in al-Qassim and (CAT). In 2002, the UN Committee against Torture expressly stated that the use of flogging by Saudi allowed to contact his family. He has Arabia violates the Convention. diabetes and had a surgical operation on his foot months before Flogging is mandatory for a number of offences and can also be used at the discretion of the judge. his detention. He needs daily insulin injections and regular hospital Sentences can range from dozens to tens of thousands of lashes, and are usually carried out in check-ups to have his wounds instalments, at intervals ranging from two weeks to one month. cleaned and diabetes adequately monitored. According to his legal representative, the prison authorities The highest number of lashes imposed in a single case recorded by Amnesty International was have several times failed to take him 40,000 lashes in the case of a defendant convicted on murder charges in 2009. to hospital and to provide him with his insulin injections on time. He A member of ACPRA, Omar al-Sa’id, has been sentenced to flogging. suffers from headaches and eyesight problems.

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Despite his advanced years – he is Timeline of ACPRA’s silencing 78 - Sheikh Suliaman al-Rashudi, is imprisoned in a cell measuring . 12 October 2009: ACPRA founded approximately five by six metres that . 20 March 2011: Mohammed al-Bajadi arrested he shares with four other prisoners. He is rarely able to see the sun, . March 2012: Dr Abdullah al-Hamid summoned for interrogations contrary to the advice of his doctor, . March 2012: Dr Mohammad al-Qahtani summoned for interrogations according to his family. They say he . March 2012: Dr Abdulkareem al-Khoder summoned for interrogations has also complained about the poor . April 2012: Mohammed al-Bajadi sentenced in a secret trial quality of the food that he and other prisoners receive. . 11 June 2012: Dr Abdullah al-Hamid put on trial . 16 June 2012: Dr Mohammad al-Qahtani put on trial Dr Abdulkareem al-Khoder and Omar . 7 July 2012: Saleh al-Ashwan arrested al-Sa’id are both held in different . 12 December 2012: Sheikh Suliaman al-Rashudi arrested sections of Buraydah prison in al- Qassim designated for people held . January 2013: Dr Abdulkareem al-Khoder put on trial for drugs offences, but they are not . 9 March 2013: Dr Abdullah al-Hamid sentenced and detained permitted contact with one another. . 9 March 2013: Dr Mohammad al-Qahtani sentenced and detained . 9 March 2013: ACPRA ordered to shut down According to Fowzan al-Harbi’s legal representative, he has been required . 24 April 2013: Dr Abdulkareem al-Khoder arrested to sleep in a hallway leading to the . 28 April 2013: Omar al-Sa’id arrested mosque at al-Malaz prison in Riyadh . 11 May 2013: Fowzan al-Harbi summoned for interrogation because the prison is over-crowded with other inmates. . 10 June 2013: Omar al-Sa’id put on trial . 24 June 2013: Dr Abdulkareem al-Khoder sentenced Meetings with their families and . 28 November 2013: Issa al-Hamid summoned for interrogation legal representatives in prison have . 28 November 2013: Abdulaziz al-Shubaily summoned for interrogation also been an issue for ACPRA’s members. For instance, under the . 4 December 2013: Fowzan al-Harbi put on trial conditions in which Fowzan al-Harbi . 12 December 2013: Omar al-Sa’id sentenced was detained, it was impossible for . 26 December 2013: Fowzan al-Harbi arrested him to meet his legal representative . 14 April 2014: Dr Abdulrahman al-Hamid arrested to prepare his defence. However, when he raised this issue with the . 12 June 2014: Issa al-Hamid put on trial judge, the latter dismissed his . 25 June 2014: Fowzan al-Harbi sentenced complaint saying that it was not his . 24 September 2014: Abdulaziz al-Shubaily put on trial responsibility.

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MOHAMMED AL-BAJADI SHEIKH SULIAMAN AL-RASHUDI

Mohammed al-Bajadi is a 36-year- Sheikh Suliaman al-Rashudi is a 78-year-old former judge and a lawyer. He is old businessman, a father of two, a founding member of ACPRA and served as its president in 2012. He is a and a human rights activist and respected public figure known for his activism and for calling for reforms and founding member of ACPRA. He also greater respect for human rights in Saudi Arabia. founded the “Forum for Cultural Debate”, a group that formerly met He was first detained in 1993 for two months, when he was banned from weekly to discuss the promotion of traveling for five years. His law firm was forced to close down for 10 years human rights in Saudi Arabia. after he participated along with six other prominent activists in founding the “Lajnat al-Difa’a ‘An al-Huquq al-Shar’iya” (Committee for the Defence of He was previously arrested on 4 Legitimate Rights - CDLR). In 1995, he was arrested after taking part in a September 2007, apparently in march calling for the release of Sheikh Salman al-‘Uda. He was subsequently connection with his human rights released after spending almost four years in detention without charge or trial. activities, but later released. He was On 21 February 2004, he was again arrested in Ulaysha in Riyadh after he rearrested on 21 March 2011, a day signed a statement calling for reforms and for a constitutional monarchy. He after he went to a protest outside the was detained for two weeks and was released only after signing a pledge to Interior Ministry in Riyadh. The refrain from activities such as delivering sermons in mosques, speaking in protest was attended by scores of public forums and to the media. Once released, he was monitored by the men and women who were calling for authorities and received threats to stop his activism. the release of their male relatives detained for years without charge or On 3 February 2007, he was one of 16 men detained in the cities of Jeddah trial. Mohammed al-Bajadi had and Medina, for circulating a petition calling for political reform and for tweeted messages about the protest discussing a proposal to establish an independent human rights organization beforehand. He was initially in Saudi Arabia. All 16 were held without charge until August 2010 when sentenced to four years in prison, but they were formally charged. his sentence was overturned and he is currently facing a retrial before the SCC. Sheikh Suliaman al-Rashudi was released on bail on 23 June 2011. On 22 November 2011, he received a 15-year-prison sentence to be followed by a He is a prisoner of conscience 15-year travel ban, but he remained at liberty pending the outcome of an currently detained at al-Ha’ir prison appeal. in Riyadh where he says he has been ill-treated. He was rearrested on 12 December 2012 and is currently serving the remainder of his 15-year-prison sentence, which was upheld on appeal. In total he has spent 10 years in prison and has been banned from traveling abroad for over 20 years.

He is a prisoner of conscience. He is currently held at al-Ha’ir prison in Riyadh, where he is reported to have been ill-treated.

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DR ABDULLAH AL-HAMID DR MOHAMMAD AL-QAHTANI ISSA AL-HAMID

Dr Abdullah al-Hamid is a 66-year- Dr Mohammad al-Qahtani is a 46- Issa al-Hamid is a 47-year-old and old human rights defender, a writer year-old father of five, a prominent another of ACPRA’s founding and a founding member of ACPRA. human rights defender, one of members. He has written numerous ACPRA’s co-founders, and the He was arrested together with his publications on human rights and organization’s most internationally brother, Dr Abdullah al-Hamid, and the independence of judiciary. He recognized figure. He holds a PhD held for several days in July 2007 was a professor of contemporary in economics from Indiana in connection with a protest literature at al-Imam Muhammad University at Bloomington and was against the prolonged detention of bin Saud Islamic University in a professor of economics in Saudi detainees held without charge or Riyadh before being dismissed for Arabia. He hosted a weekly TV trial. Subsequently, the Criminal his activism. He is married and has show discussing economic issues Court in Buraydah sentenced him eight children. but his programme was stopped to six months in prison after because of his views and opinions He was first arrested in 1993 by convicting him of inciting protests, about economic conditions in al-Mabahith and reportedly and ordered that he stopped Saudi Arabia. suffered from torture and other ill- inciting women to protest. treatment before being released, He has a long history of He was interrogated over several but only after signing a pledge to involvement in the submission of months and put on trial before the stop his political activism. He was cases of detainees held without General Court in Buraydah on 12 rearrested a year later and almost a charge or trial to the Board of June 2014. At the third session, month after his incommunicado Grievance, and for assisting their the judge ruled that the case fell detention he was admitted to a families in claiming their rights. outside his jurisdiction and hospital in Riyadh for treatment for Before his detention, he was also transferred it to the SCC. Issa al- diabetes. He was rearrested in vocal in publicly raising concerns Hamid is currently at liberty 2004 and 2005 and sentenced to about the human rights situation in awaiting his trial before the SCC. a long prison term before being Saudi Arabia, including through released through a royal pardon, media interviews. He is a strong If convicted and imprisoned, he but was again arrested in 2007 supporter of women’s rights, will become another prisoner of and sentenced to four years in including the “Women to Drive” conscience. prison. His last arrest was in 2012 campaign of June 2011, and is a and in March 2013 he was proponent of peaceful dialogue and sentenced to 11 years in prison. discourse in demanding rights.

He is a prisoner of conscience He is a prisoner of conscience currently serving an 11-year currently serving a 10-year sentence at al-Ha’ir prison in sentence at al-Ha’ir prison in Riyadh where he has reported that Riyadh where he has alleged ill- he has been ill-treated. treatment.

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SALEH AL-ASHWAN ABDULAZIZ AL-SHUBAILY OMAR AL-SA’ID

Saleh al-Saleh al-Ashwan is a 30- Abdulaziz al-Shubaily, is a 30- At 22, Omar al-Sa’id is the year-old graduate in Islamic year-old founding member of youngest of ACPRA’s members to Shari’a from the al-Imam ACPRA who formerly helped many be detained and sentenced. He is Muhammad bin Saud Islamic families of long term untried married and has a two-year-old University in Riyadh, and a detainees to take their cases to the daughter. He took his university member of ACPRA. Board of Grievance. Since finals exam and graduated while in November 2013 he has been detention. He is a prisoner of conscience repeatedly interrogated about his detained without charge or trial He was initially sentenced to four human rights work, statements he since his arrest in April 2012, and years in prison and 300 lashes on had signed and his work with is now held at al-Ha’ir prison in 12 December 2013, but his ACPRA. He is the legal Riyadh. He is alleged to have been sentence was overturned on appeal representative of nine of the 11 subjected to torture and other ill- and he will be retried before the ACPRA members who faced trial. treatment in detention. SCC. His trial before the SCC started on 24 September 2014. He is a prisoner of conscience imprisoned at Buraydah prison in If convicted and imprisoned, he al-Qassim. He has alleged ill- will become another prisoner of treatment there. conscience.

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DR ABDULKAREEM AL-KHODER FOWZAN AL-HARBI DR ABDULRAHMAN AL-HAMID

Dr Abdulkareem Yousef al-Khoder Fowzan al-Harbi, is a 36-year-old Dr Abdulrahman al-Hamid is a 52- is a 48-year-old human rights engineer employed at the King year-old founding member of defender and a founding member Abdulaziz City of Science and ACPRA and the brother of Dr of ACPRA. He is a former professor Technology, a married father of two Abdullah and Issa al-Hamid. He of comparative jurisprudence in children, human rights defender holds a PhD in Islamic economics the Faculty of Islamic and founding member of ACPRA, from Umu al-Qura University in Jurisprudence at al-Qassim is currently at liberty awaiting the Mecca. He served as ACPRA’s first University, but he was dismissed outcome of his appeal against a president. from his job in October 2011, seven-year prison sentence. On 12 April 2014 he signed a reportedly because of his activism. He was arrested in December statement along with other He has been banned from 2013 and sentenced to seven activists calling for the Minister of travelling outside Saudi Arabia years’ imprisonment but released Interior to be put on trial “for his since 2010. In 2013, he was on 24 June 2014 after spending policy of suppressing public sentenced to eight years in prison; six months in prison and is now freedoms,” following which he was however, an appeal court free pending the outcome of his arrested. overturned his sentence and he appeal. His employer stopped He is a prisoner of conscience now faces retrial before the SCC. paying Fowzan al-Harbi’s salary currently detained without charge Despite the judge’s order to release shortly after his arrest in 2013 and or trial at Buraydah prison in al- him pending the outcome of his he has not been permitted to Qassim, where he is reported to retrial, Dr Abdulkareem al-Khoder return to his employment since his have been ill-treated. remains detained in prison. release in June 2014.

He is a prisoner of conscience If he is again detained, he will detained at Buraydah prison in al- again become a prisoner of Qassim. He has alleged ill- conscience. treatment there.

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RECOMMENDATIONS . Ensure that all persons deprived of their liberty are protected from Amnesty International is calling on the Saudi Arabian authorities to torture and other ill-treatment and are detained in facilities take the following actions without delay: whose conditions satisfy the standards laid down in the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners; . Immediately and unconditionally release the ACPRA prisoners and detainees and all other prisoners of conscience – those detained or imprisoned solely on account of their peaceful exercise of freedom . Lift the foreign travel bans in force against the ACPRA activists of expression and other human rights, including rights to freedom and other human rights activists and defenders, respect their of association and peaceful assembly; freedom of movement and end the use of other arbitrary measures to penalize and harass them;

. Ensure that the sentences and convictions are quashed and drop any outstanding charges against the ACPRA members whose . Repeal the anti-terror law and related legislation or extensively cases are described here and against all other prisoners of revise it in order to bring it into full conformity with international conscience; law and international human rights standards, including by adopting a definition of terrorism that does not infringe on the peaceful exercise of human rights.

Index: MDE 23/025/2014 Amnesty International is a global movement of more than 3 million supporters, members and activists in more than 150 countries and English October 2014 territories who campaign to end grave abuses of human rights. S Amnesty International Our vision is for every person to enjoy all the rights enshrined in the International Secretariat

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Index: MDE 23/025/2014 Amnesty International October 2014