In an Unfair Trial, the
Saudi Judiciary Sentenced a Protester 17 Years
European Society for Human Rights Saudi Arabia
03/07/2014
 |
| Majid Saees AlNassif |
In the 15th of December 2012, Saudi authorities arbitrarily
arrested Majid Saeed Al Nassif (07/10/1979), from his private office in the
city of Al-Awamiya of Qatif province.
In clear violation of article 2 of the Law of Criminal
Procedure, at the eleventh hour the morning of Saturday, he was ambushed by
four security men, masked and dressed informally, while doing his normal work
in his office, pointed their guns at his face, and beat him on the face and
neck, and tied his hands. With verbal humiliation and degrading treatment, they
forced him to a civilian car covering his eyes. He was taken to a prison in
Dammam Administrative Detective Prison and put in solitary confinement, and was
stripped of all his personal property, that was in his possession at the time.
After a month of being in Dammam Administrative Detective
Prison, he was transferred to the General Intelligence Prison in the city of
Dammam, and subjected to psychological torture and degrading treatment , where
he was imprisoned in solitary confinement for nearly two and a half months, and
often was faced with verbal insult on his beliefs and religious affiliation.
His interrogation continued throughout his stay in solitary
confinement without access to a lawyer. He was threatened during that time to
force confessions. Then was forced at the end on the ratification of the
statements extracted under duress and great pressure and psychological torture,
and the use of deceptive techniques in the collection of confessions.
After complete isolation from the outside world, he was
transferred to a mass prison room. Then, after three and a half months of his
detention, he was allowed to be visited by his family, which is confined to the
first-degree relatives. Where families usually are exposed to a humiliating
inspection and ill-treatment in some cases upon entry to visit.
Prison conditions had an impact on his health:
1.
Before his arrest, he was suffering from health
problems and cramps in the back and chest.
He was receiving regular treatment, and after prison, he has exacerbated
the health problem.
2.
Sharp decline in weight, poor physical structure, and
the constant stress and anxiety.
With the first trial hearings, which began after undue delay
in 02/24/2014, in clear violation of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the
prosecutor has the following charges:
1.
Calls to participate in the demonstrations via his
Facebook and Twitter accounts.
2.
Relationship with a number of the most wanted list of
23, and the support and misprision of them.
3.
Joining a group in a smart phones’ program, with the
aim of monitoring the movement of security vehicles in Al-Awamiya.
4.
The financing of terrorism and terrorist operations
through buying SIM Cards and providing them to one of the wanted.
5.
Participate in demonstrations, and shout slogans
hostile to the state.
6.
Transport some of the wanted in his car
7.
Trafficking, as he was taking SR. 200 riyals per month
from each worker under his sponsorship.
Accordingly, the public prosecutor demanded the
implementation of punishments: imprisonment with a total of 30 years and a fine
of nine million riyals, and the confiscation of his personal car and travel
bans.
The trial was held in three semi-secretive sessions, which
nobody was allowed to enter but a lawyer or one of his relatives. Judge
Mohammed Al-Zahrani in the third session on 04/02/2014 announced the primary
sentencing as follows:
1.
17 years' imprisonment.
2.
A fine of SR. 100,000 (U.S. $ 26,666).
3.
The confiscation of his car Yukon 2007 model.
4.
Travel ban for 17 years.
We in the European Saudi Society for Human Rights (ESSHR),
stress the occurrence of numerous violations and grave breaches of the
procedures of arrest and interrogation. In addition, the trial, which took
place, was not compatible with international standards for fair trials, so we
demand the Saudi government the following:
1.
The immediate release of the arbitrarily detained
Majid Al Nassif, unconditionally.
2.
Conduct a prompt, impartial and thorough investigation
about torture and human rights abuses suffered by Al Nassif, as provided for
under domestic law (Article 28 of the system, "the prison and
detention" and Article 2 of the Law of Criminal Procedure), and
international laws.
3.
Provide necessary health care, to address his effects
resulting from imprisonment and torture.
4.
Ensure his full rights, and must be compensated
financially due to the economic damage that has befallen his family being the
sole provider for his daughter (6 years), his wife and his ailing mother.
The ESSHR calls on all local, regional and international
organizations on the need to follow all aspects of detainee Al-Nassif, as he is
one of many who have been subjected to arbitrary arrest, where faces a primary
harsh sentencing, and does not rule out an increase sentencing by the appeal,
as happened in many cases monitored by the ESSHR in the ongoing trials of
prisoners of conscience detained in Saudi jails after the events of 2011.
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