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Saudi Shia Muslims at risk of torture and ill-treatment

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In an attempt to consolidate the political and religious dictatorship on the multi-confessional people of the Arabian Peninsula , the Saudi regime has being using the methods of repression and the governmental terrorism to vilify the adherents of the other Islamic schools of jurisprudence that

differ from the official interpretation of Islam , particularly the Shiites, who estimate of 25 percent of the population of the Arabian Peninsula .

 

According to the reports issued by the Committee for Defense of Human Rights in Arabian Peninsula, The Saudi security authorities routinely use torture and ill-treatment in Saudi prisons and detention centers with the prisoners during the period of interrogations to extract confessions from them or to punish them , or to suppress of their religious faiths .

Despite the Saudi government’s assurances that the prisoners were protected by law , but the practices of the enforcement authorities against the prisoners violate the article 2 of the criminal procedure code which states that ” an arrested person shall not be subjected to any bodily or moral harm” or to “any torture or degrading treatment”, and also violate the Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states that :

” No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.”

The ” Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment ” also requires states parties to prohibit torture and does not allow derogation from this prohibition at any time.

Saudi regime , as a state party to this convention , is obliged not to impose any punishments that amount to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

The poor Saudi record of human rights is full of many evidences of using torture and there were a lot of torture victims still have the marks , evidence and the signatures of Saudi torturers .

The Saudi torture for example did not exclude the forgotten prisoners who were rearrested in 1996 following the bombing of the US military base in al-Khobar in 1996.

The forgotten prisoners had been exposed to severe physical torture and ill-treatment which was directed at degradation of personality by destroying basic human dignity.

Hussain Yousif al-Harbi at risk of torture and ill-treatment

Reliable sources informed the Committee for the Defense of Human Rights in the Arabian Peninsula that the Shi’a citizen Hussain Yousif al-Harbi , 22 years , from the town of Rumaila in Al-Ahsa , who was arrested on 31 January 2010 has been exposed to torture and remained detained without charge or trial .

Al-Harbi was detained under the accusation of provoking other Shi’a youths to fix Ashura banners and signs on the streets of the town of Rumaila in the occasion of Shi’a holiday of Ashura .

The banners and signs were previously removed by the Saudi security forces , then insensibility burned them in front of people .

Hussain Yousif al-Harbi was first detained on 8 August 2009 because of participation of religious activities during the Islamic month of Mohrram , and on 11 November 2009 , due to participation of  the annual celebration of Imam Mahdi and Imam Hassan birthdays during the Islamic months of Ramadan and Sha’ban , then he was released after 15 days.

On 15 December 2009 , he was  arrested for one week imprisonment under the charge of hindering the traffic during  the celebration of the celebration of Imam Hassan birthday, then he released after,.

Al-Harbi , expressed of his right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion which guaranteed by the international human rights covenants and treaties .

CDHRAP considers al-Harbi to be a prisoner of conscience held solely for the peaceful exercise of his right to freedom of religion and call for his immediate and unconditional release.

The Committee for the Defense of Human Rights in the Arabian Peninsula calls the international organizations and local human rights to put pressure on the Saudi regime to release Hussain Yousif al-Harbi and his mates from Rumaila of Al-Ahsa and addresses to the Saudi authorities responsible to maintain his safety.

Shia Muslim Businessman arrested on a sectarian backgrounds

Saudi authorities detained a prominent business man and social activist in Al-Hassa as attendees in a religious festival used the side walks around a worship house that is under his custody.

Sources informed Rasid that Sauid authorities detained the business man Hajji Abdulrasool Al-A’mer as attendees in the over crowdedAl-Ja’farya Husainya were forced to use the sidewalks around it during a religious lecture in Ashura.

The incident dates back to December end of last year when thousands of Saudi Shia commemorate the tragic battle of Ashura.

Saudi authorities forced a stringent ban on all sorts of festival that Saudi Shia commemorate around the year.

It is customarily that worship houses (Imam Bargah’s) are full with hundreds of worshippers which force that late comers to use the sidewalks and alleys around the worship house.

This is Al-A’mer’s second arrest since his last in 2004 for similar charges.

Al-A’mer is well known for his care and attention to many worship houses and mosques in Al-Hassa which makes him a target for frequent arrests.

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