HRW Activist: Saudi at War with Rights Community
Local Editor
A Human Rights Watch [HRW] researcher said that Saudi Arabia is at war with rights activists, blasting the West for remaining "notoriously" tight-lipped over Riyadh's abuses.
Middle East researcher with the HRW, Adam Coogle, informed that the Saudi regime imprisoned "practically their entire human rights community. There is almost no one left who is not in jail."
According to Coogle, "almost all independent rights activists are serving long-term sentences behind bars in the kingdom."
"It has been terrible for about four or five years now. Ever since the Arab uprisings in 2011, the Saudi authorities have clamped down on all dissents," he added.
He further criticized unfair trials under Saudi Arabia's flawed judicial system: "Saudi justice is arbitrary. Generally, there is no written law," he said, citing "breaking allegiance to the ruler" as a common charge against political dissidents and activists.
Relatively, Coogle explained the Kingdom's mechanism as follows: "If you are accused of criticizing Saudi authorities and facing a jail sentence based on that, there is no way to defend yourself."
Meanwhile, the kingdom sent shockwaves throughout the world by the January 2 execution of His Eminence Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, who was a vocal critic of Riyadh's policies.
Sheikh al-Nimr was convicted to death for making anti-government speeches and defending political prisoners.
Besides, Coogle slammed the West for letting Riyadh get away scot-free with its rights violations, saying: "Western countries have always been notoriously silent on Saudi human rights abuses."
Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team
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