ESSHR

Busy Week of Prosecuting Activists, and the Sentencing Hearing for AlJamal

European Saudi Society for Human Rights

04/05/2014

Jalal al-Jamal, was released in 03/05/2013
after the arrest lasted for more than a year

As a routine procedure, the location of the Specialized Criminal Court (SCC) switched from the capital Riyadh to Jeddah. Many political and human right defenders plus demonstrators are been prosecuted in SCC. It is been officially switched to Jeddah location since Thursday May 1^st 2014, but it will be relocated back to Riyadh after three months.

It is scheduled today that the Court of Appeal will decide the next coming trials for the poet Habib AlMatik, Reza AlBaharna, Hussein AlSalem and Muntazar AlOqeeli.  Initial sentences has been already pronounced, AlMatik 1 year; AlBaharna 1 year; AlSalem 3 years; AlOqeeli 5 years. The Appeal’s verdicts increases the sentences for AlMatik 2 years; AlBaharna 3 year and 6 months suspended for medical conditions; AlSalem 5 years; AlOqeeli 7 years.

As a continues prosecuting of the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association (ACPRA) members, Abdullah AlSaeed is going thought the third investigation session in the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution in Buraidah on May 5^th, where his first investigation session was on 04/29/2014 and the second on 01/05/2014. It seems that Dr. Abdulkarim Alkedher, founding member of ACPRA, is on his trial on May 7^th after an appeal to overturn the judge’s rule which sentenced him to 3 years and possibly 5 years, and a travel ban for 10 years.

On May 7^th the fifth trial of Ali Gasep Althifah, who were detained in regards to Qatif demonstration, and Sheikh Jalal AlJamal which is likely to be sentenced after the prosecutor charges him with “seeking and disturbing the public peace - the production and storage of what would prejudice public order - create a website that calls out for demonstrations and overthrowing the guardian - possessing and distributing videos relating to Qatif events – subscripting to groups mailing against the state”. Moreover, the second trial for Raza Jafar AlRebh is scheduled in regard to harboring a fugitive. Also, new a series of trials for AlJaroudi begins, whose accused of “protesting - communicate with the media - possession face masks - possession banners and flyers inscribed with political slogans”. These new trials for AlJaroudi is after his appeal to the former judge’s ruling of two years, where his case is with a new judge.

This week trials is concluded with political and human rights defenders and activists plus demonstrators. It is also the fifth trials for the human rights defender Mikhlif AlShammari in the General Court on May 8^th , on regards of “Prayer in Sayhat city - his visit to Sheikh AbdulKarim AlHabil – hosting a dinner for reformers”, this is one out of three cases in total in which AlShammari is going through in Saudi courts. He is already been sentenced to 5 years as an initial verdict.

Meanwhile, the trial of Mohammed Albgadi, a human right defender and a member of ACPRA, is still suspended since the judge refused to allow him to meet with his agents, as Albgadi has been insisted for his lawful right to meet before the trial. This comes also after Albgadi challenged the appeal ruling that sentenced him for 3 years.