http://www.gulfnews.com/news/gulf/saudi_arabia/10333632.html
Saudi Arabia Saudi anti-terror efforts hurt human rights: Amnesty By Jumana Al Tamimi, Associate Editor Published: July 22, 2009, 07:37 Dubai: Efforts to fight terrorism in Saudi Arabia has resulted in a noticeable deterioration in the human rights record in the kingdom in the past few years, an Amnesty International report claimed. However, informed Saudi sources denied Amnesty's conclusions of "unjust anti-terrorism" measures, and stressed that all efforts in combating terrorism are "within the acceptable legal boundaries". According to Amnesty's report, which was released in the early hours of Wednesday, the number of detained people since 2001 has increased from hundreds to thousands. It was also coincided with excessive measures, including arbitrary arrests, prolonged detention of political and security suspects without a trial or an access to lawyers. "In July 2007, the Interior Minister reported that 9,000 security suspects had been detained between 2003 and 2007 and that 3,106 of them are still being held. Others have been moved to an official "re-education" programme though it is unclear how they are selected and under what conditions they can obtain release," the report said. The report also highlighted "how trials of political or security detainees in Saudi Arabia take place in extreme secrecy and fail to meet international standards of fairness." Furthermore, torture and ill-treatment methods adopted include "severe beatings with sticks, punching, and suspension from the ceiling, use of electric shocks and sleep deprivation. Flogging is also imposed as a legal punishment by itself or in addition to imprisonment, and sentences can include thousands of lashes." "These unjust anti-terrorism measures have made an already dire human rights situation worse," Malcolm Smart, Amnesty International's Middle East and North Africa Program was quoted as saying by a press statement. "The Saudi Arabian government has used its powerful international clout to get away with it. And the international community has failed to hold the government to account for these gross violations," he added. "We have not chosen Saudi Arabia just because it is Saudi Arabia," Lamri Chirouf, a leading author of the report and a researcher on Saudi Arabia at Amnesty International said. "But because the situation of human rights have deteriorated as a result of anti-terrorism measures, which disregarded by the international human rights standards required by the UN," Chirouf told Gulf News. No immediate comment from the concerned Saudi authorities or Saudi human right organization was available despite repeated attempts by Gulf News. They said a comment will follow reading the report. However, Jamal Khashoqshi, Editor-in-Chief of Al Watan Saudi newspaper stressed that as far as he knows, "all Saudi measures in terms of fighting terrorism in Saudi Arabia are within the legal measures, (and) which are announced measures." In some security cases and according to the law, the state has the right to keep some (suspects) under detention and in secrecy, Khashoqshi said. "We are not talking about political prisoners or prisoners of opinion. We are talking about people who raised their weapons in the face of the state," he told Gulf News. Earlier this month, Saudi Arabia has announced that 330 detainees have been tried in the first known trials of Al Qaeda suspects in the kingdom. They include 289 Saudis and 41 foreigners, and their sentences ranged between death penalty and few months. Seven were acquitted, and three were not charged with any crimes. Furthermore, Sheikh Abdullah Hamad Al Sa'adan, Justice Ministry spokesperson announced then that plans are underway to allow the press to cover subsequent trials. However, "priority will be given to the relatives of those on trial based on seating capacity available in the court room," he was quoted as saying. Asked whether the public trials decision was taken under pressure from abroad, Khashogshi refuted such an interpretation. "The judicial system in Saudi Arabia is passing through a reform process, and in similar times, you don't expect all experiences to succeed," he said. Saudi Arabia is "still in the middle of its fight against terrorism" and some times there is a need for secrecy, he stressed. Concerned authorities are "in a difficult situation in doing the right thing for everybody," he added. On the other hand, Lamri welcomed the intention to allow media inside court rooms in the future, saying "you can't have justice in secrecy. It has to be done. It has to be seen. It has to be transparent."
