Saudi activists given long prison terms, says rights group

Three men have been separately sentenced to prison in Saudi Arabia for peaceful activism since 13 October 2013, Human Rights Watch said on Tuesday.

They are Abd al-Kareem al-Khodr and Abd al-Rahman al-Hamid, who are some of the co-founders of the banned Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association (ACPRA), and independent dissident Abd al-Aziz al-Snaidi.

Their sentences range from eight to ten years, and all three are being held in al-Malaz prison in the Saudi capital Riyadh.

"These outlandish sentences demonstrate Saudi Arabia's complete intolerance toward citizens who speak out for human rights and reform," said Sarah Leah Whitson, HRW’s Middle East director.

"King Salman should immediately release all peaceful activists and dissidents from their long prison terms," she added.

Snaida, 41, was sentenced to eight years in prison on 13 October, banned for travelling for eight-years after his release and fined 50,000 Saudi riyals ($9,450).

These outlandish sentences demonstrate Saudi Arabia's complete intolerance toward citizens who speak out for human rights and reform. - Sarah Leah Whitson, HRW's Middle East director.

Local activists told HRW he was charged with signing a petition for ACPRA, writing tweets critical of the king, negatively questioning the integrity of the judiciary, and inciting public opinion. He was arrested in February 2015.

Hamid was also convicted on 13 October after being arrested in April 2014. He was sentenced to nine-years in prison, banned for travelling for nine-years after his release, and fined 50,000 riyals.

Khodr was arrested in April 2013 and convicted on 19 October to ten years in prison. He was also given a ten-year travel ban.

Hamid and Khodr were convicted under the vague charges of disparaging and insulting judicial authorities, inciting public opinion, insulting religious leaders, participating in setting up an unlicensed organisation, and violating the cybercrime law.

Other members ACPRA have been convicted under similar charges and are serving long sentences. They include Mohammed al-Bajadi, Abdullah al-Hamid, Mohammed al-Qahtani, Fowzan al-Harbi, Suleiman al-Rashoodi, and Omar al-Saeed. Two other members - Abd al-Aziz al-Shubaili and Issa al-Hamid - are on trial.

There are a number of other Saudi activists being held on long prison terms.

They include: Waleed Abu al-Khair who was sentenced to 15 years for his peaceful criticism of human rights abuses in media interviews and on social media; and Fadhil al-Manasif who is serving 14 years for helping the foreign media cover popular protests by Saudi Shia in 2011.

The writer and commentator Zuhair Kutbi remains in detention without charge after being arrested on 15 July for disussing peaceful reform proposals in a TV interview.

"It is inconceivable that mere criticism in statements and on social media could land someone in jail for more than a decade, but that's the sad reality in Saudi Arabia," Whitson said.