sharon sanders
Editor-in-Chief & President
Saudi Arabia: Rights Groups Blocked From Operating
Lack of Legal Framework for Independent Groups Opens Activists to Prosecution
AUGUST 29, 2013
Saudi Arabia created a catch 22 situation and is exploiting it to harass and prosecute human rights activists. The authorities should immediately pass an associations law that meets international standards, and let independent human rights and other activists operate without harassment.
Joe Stork, acting Middle East director
(Beirut) ? Saudi officials have been refusing to register human rights groups, leaving members subject to criminal prosecution for ?setting up an unregistered organization.? Saudi authorities should stop blocking the registration of human rights organizations and other independent groups and pass an associations law that gives groups the right to operate without undue government interference.
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Saudi Association on Civil and Political Rights
Riyadh-based activists told Human Rights Watch that founders of the Saudi Association on Civil and Political Rights (ACPRA) did not attempt to register the organization with the Social Affairs Ministry, fearing that a rejection would leave the group officially illegal and open members to criminal liability. Members instead appealed directly to the king for recognition in October 2009, but the Royal Court did not respond.
In March 2013 a court in Riyadh convicted Muhammad al-Qahtani and Abdullah al-Hamid, members of the group, on charges that included ?participating in setting up an unlicensed organization.? The verdicts also ordered ?the dissolution of the association known as the Civil and Political Rights Association and [cessation] of all its activities? for not obtaining permission to perform its activities and not obtaining licensing to start its activities.? The Specialized Criminal Court sentenced another activist from the group, Muhammad al-Bajadi, to four years in prison on a list of charges that included ?participating in setting up an unlicensed organization.?
more...
http://www.hrw.org/news/2013/08/29/saudi-arabia-rights-groups-blocked-operating
Muhammad al-Qahtani is an economics professor.
Abdullah al-Hamid, 63, is a human rights activist and promotes the establishment of a constitution for Saudi Arabia.
Lack of Legal Framework for Independent Groups Opens Activists to Prosecution
AUGUST 29, 2013
Saudi Arabia created a catch 22 situation and is exploiting it to harass and prosecute human rights activists. The authorities should immediately pass an associations law that meets international standards, and let independent human rights and other activists operate without harassment.
Joe Stork, acting Middle East director
(Beirut) ? Saudi officials have been refusing to register human rights groups, leaving members subject to criminal prosecution for ?setting up an unregistered organization.? Saudi authorities should stop blocking the registration of human rights organizations and other independent groups and pass an associations law that gives groups the right to operate without undue government interference.
snip
Saudi Association on Civil and Political Rights
Riyadh-based activists told Human Rights Watch that founders of the Saudi Association on Civil and Political Rights (ACPRA) did not attempt to register the organization with the Social Affairs Ministry, fearing that a rejection would leave the group officially illegal and open members to criminal liability. Members instead appealed directly to the king for recognition in October 2009, but the Royal Court did not respond.
In March 2013 a court in Riyadh convicted Muhammad al-Qahtani and Abdullah al-Hamid, members of the group, on charges that included ?participating in setting up an unlicensed organization.? The verdicts also ordered ?the dissolution of the association known as the Civil and Political Rights Association and [cessation] of all its activities? for not obtaining permission to perform its activities and not obtaining licensing to start its activities.? The Specialized Criminal Court sentenced another activist from the group, Muhammad al-Bajadi, to four years in prison on a list of charges that included ?participating in setting up an unlicensed organization.?
more...
http://www.hrw.org/news/2013/08/29/saudi-arabia-rights-groups-blocked-operating
Muhammad al-Qahtani is an economics professor.
Abdullah al-Hamid, 63, is a human rights activist and promotes the establishment of a constitution for Saudi Arabia.