by Darrin Simmons
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – The use of Facebook has recently caused problems for seven Saudi Arabian activists who received prison terms for inciting riots on the social network site. The activists were held for a year and a half before being sentenced by a special tribunal handling terrorism related cases.
After the leading Shia cleric, Tawfiq al-Amer, was jailed for a year without trial beginning in 2011 for calling for a constitutional monarchy, the seven activists took to Facebook to express their support for al-Amer.
Each of the seven received varying amounts of jail time ranging from five to ten years. The activist who set up the Facebook account received ten years for allegedly providing information on how to perform the best protesting techniques.
Human Rights Watch (HRW), a New York rights group, reported that the Saudi activists, who weren’t even charged with actively participating in the riots, have been subjected to a violation of their right to voice their opinion and hold a peaceful protest.
“Sending people off to years in prison for peaceful Facebook posts sends a strong message that there’s no safe way to speak out in Saudi Arabia, even on online social networks,” claimed the deputy Middle East director of HRW, Joe Stork.
The seven activists were banned from travelling for any additional periods of time and several of the them claimed that they were tortured into signing confessions, reported HRW. The Saudi Interior Ministry has not been available to comment or make an official statement.
HRW also insisted that Catherine Ashton, European Union foreign policy chief, condemn the conviction as she and other European officials were attending a discussion in Bahrain with other members of the Gulf States.
Every activist is from East Province, an area that has experienced protests and disturbance amongst the minority Shi’ites who have alleged discrimination and negligence against the Riyadh government.
Major discontent amongst Shias and Shi’ites has been seen throughout Saudi Arabia with at least twenty people being killed by security forces since 2011. Last Thursday, a protest was held at the funeral of a wanted man killed by the police with thousands gathering to express their dissent of the ruling al-Saud family.
Sebastian Usher, the BBC World Service’s Middle East editor, reported that the activists received their sentences because their case involved two highly controversial aspects that concern the Saudi Arabian government: “political criticism expressed online and protests staged by the Shia minority in the east of the country.”
One Saudi-based human rights campaigner said, “The sectarian situation in the region made the sentences tough and unreasonable.” As tension increases among the sects, one wonders what freedom will next be taken away for the Saudi Arabian people.
For further information, please see the following:
National – Seven Saudis jailed for up to a decade for protest call on Facebook – 1 Jul. 2013
Aljazeera – Saudis jailed for urging protests on Facebook – 30 Jun. 2013
BBC – Saudi Arabia court jails seven Facebook cyber activists – 30 Jun. 2013
Reuters – Seven Saudis jailed for urging protests on Facebook: HRW – 30 Jun. 2013
