Amnesty International urges Saudi Arabia to free political prisoners

Amnesty International has criticized Saudi Arabia for imprisoning anti-regime protesters without charge or trial, calling for the immediate and unconditional release of the detainees.

The UK-based rights body said almost a year after the planned “Day of Rage” demonstration in the capital Riyadh, some protesters are still being held in jail without being charged or tried.
The planned demonstration, which was called by activists to demand political reforms in the Saudi kingdom, ultimately did not happen on the planned day, March 11, 2011, due to the heavy deployment of security forces.
"Holding people for a year merely for intending to protest is completely unconscionable. But that is what it seems the Saudi authorities have been doing in the name of security," said on Friday Philip Luther, Amnesty's interim director for the Middle East and North Africa.
The rights group says it has received information indicating that the detainees have been "tortured or otherwise ill-treated after being detained.”
The right organization also confirmed that Saudi authorities have held hundreds of people for protesting and voicing their opposition to government policies.
“Most have been released without charge, but others remain in detention without charge or trial, while several have been charged with vague security-related and other offences,” Amnesty added.
Rallies and other public displays of dissent are forbidden in Saudi Arabia.
Several people have been killed and many others injured or detained since March 2011 when Saudi protesters began their anti-regime protests.