Saudi rights activist sentenced to nine years in prison

A court in Saudi Arabia has sentenced a dissident activist to nine years in prison on charges related to his civil rights work, Amnesty International said on Sunday.

The rights group described his sentencing as part of a wider "ruthless onslaught against civil society" by Saudi authorities.

Issa al-Hamid, who was also banned from travel abroad for another nine years, was convicted of inciting people to breach public order, insulting the judiciary, defaming the kingdom's senior religious clerics and establishing an unlicensed organisation.

The Saudi activist is a founding member of the Saudi Association for Civil and Political Rights, several members of which are serving similarly lengthy jail sentences.

He was convicted by Saudi Arabia's notorious counter-terrorism court, known as the Specialised Criminal Court (SCC).

Since 2014, the SCC has sentenced many activists and dissidents to lengthy prison terms, and even to death.

Last month, a Saudi journalist was sentenced to five years in prison over tweets deemed insulting to the kingdom's rulers.

Alaa Brinji, who has reportedly already served two years behind bars, was found guilty of a list of charges including "insulting the rulers (and) inciting public opinion," the rights group said at the time.

In addition to the jail term, Brinji has been slapped with a fine of 50,000 riyals ($13,333) and an eight-year travel ban.

Agencies contributed to this report.