Saudi Arabia

The authorities haven’t given a reason for Kamel Abbas al-Ahmed’s detention, but ANHRI believes it’s because he spoke out for rights for Shiites.

The Specialized Criminal Court, set up in 2008 to try terrorism cases, is increasingly used to try peaceful dissidents and rights activists on politicized charges and in proceedings that violate the right to a fair trial and the rights to freedom of expression.

Mohamed El Bagadi has been detained since 21 March 2011 and was recently sentenced to four years imprisonment and banned from travelling for five additional years.

Upon his arrival in the Kingdom, Ahmed Algizawy found out that he had been sentenced in absentia for his criticism of the Saudi government, and for filing a case with the Egyptian judiciary against the Saudi King demanding the release of Egyptians illegally detained in Saudi Arabia.

Released and cleared of all charges in February 2012, Sheikh Mukhlif Shammari was informed of this decision while crossing the King Fahd bridge on his way to Bahrain.

On 20 March, Muhammad Fahd al-Qahtani responded to a summons from Riyadh prosecutors for interrogation about his human rights activities and a travel ban was imposed on him a few days later.

Walid Abu El Kheir received a notice stating that he was forbidden from leaving the country for security reasons, two days prior to a scheduled trip to the United States.

After the authorities seized all copies of his book Questions of the Revolution, author Sheikh Salman Ben-Fahd al-Odah released the book on his website and via Twitter.

Jalal Mohamed al-Jamal was arrested by security forces in the city of Al-Qatif, reportedly accursed of opposing the state and inciting its downfall.

Habib Ali al-Maatiq, who has been detained for three years in the past for his reformist political opinions, has been detained since 22 February without charges, and authorities have not provided any information on his case.

The city of al-Qatif witnessed violent confrontations between the police and some protesters calling for social justice, resulting in the death of one citizen and the injury of many others.

The crackdown on the sit-in resulted in the injuring of 53 female students, including one who suffered a miscarriage, and the detention of a male student who supported the protest.

Mounir al-Midany, 21, was killed when authorities attacked peaceful demonstrations held in the city of Qatif and calling for democratic reforms and the release of political prisoners.

Hamza Kashgari was preparing to seek political asylum in New Zealand in light of the likely death sentence he faces in Saudi Arabia for expressing his religious views.

Hamza Kashgari posted several tweets about the birth of prophet Mohamed, and was surprised to find severe attacks on him by clergymen and some Saudi citizens who were angered by what he had written.

The authorities rejected an application submitted by rights activists to establish the Justice Center for Human Rights, claiming that their objectives are incompatible with the statute of associations and charities.