Date: 02/07/1998

No: 74/H/98

Arabian Peninsula: Another Campaign of Arrests against the Citizens

   Despite the international condemnation and criticism addressed to the Saudi regime due to its human rights record which is full of violations and practices that are contrary to human rights standards especially the arbitrary arrest, the oppression of justice system and the severe torture.

   Despite the disclosure of justification, which have been raised by the Regime for two years or more and gave him an opportunity to over come our people by using arrest, torture, chasing and killing , that justification has failed to comply with the Regime’s hope of discarding the opposition in the country and the youths and Ulama of nation who are responsible of propagating the religious and political awareness , guide people and protecting them from depravity.

That justification which the Regime still tries hard to confirm its by using the brutal methods of torture to force them to confess that they were responsible of security accidents that they were innocent of committing them and in order to get its purpose, the Regime tried to extract the confessions from detainees under the torture , so the result of that devious plan was the oppressed citizen Mohammad Ahmad al-Hayek, a 29-year- old , an employee from al-Qatif and the oppressed citizen Maithem Ali al-Bahr, a 12-year- old, a student from al-Qatif which their death was a result of torture. The marks of torture were clear for everyone who had seen the body of the martyr Maithem al-Bahr in the hospital or during the burying.

   The hiding of al-Hayek’s body and refusing to deliver it to his family and burying it at an undisclosed location, is a clear proof of using variety methods of torture against that citizen.

The case of those two martyrs is a truthful proof on the lie of the Interior ministry (Nayef bin Abdul Aziz) who had using torture against detainees.

   Despite all that, the Saudi regime still prosecutes the people to throw them in its frightful dungeons according of the policy of prosecution which becomes a part of the people who seek freedom and honorable life.

   One of the Regime’s agents (Egyptian citizen) worked as a barber in Tarout Island in al-Qatif tries to spread false thoughts that are contrary to Islam and he tried to tempt  some people to believe of his negative faiths which were agitator of denominationalism. 

He also uses the deeds of sorcery and witchcraft  to deceive people that he tells unseen things. Some scholars, preachers and educated youths have begun to discuss and cancel these faiths .

 They hold open debates and dialogs with others who were touched of his faiths in order to satisfy them that they were wrong. The Regime immediately arrested five educated youths and accused them of kidnapping one of the persons who were touched of his faiths.

Their case was submitted to the office of al-Mabahith al-`Amma in Dammam which takes the role of,arrester, the interrogator , the judge  and the announcer of the verdict.

The detainees are:

1 - Khaild al-Mutawa

2 - Hani al-Hariri

3 - Abdullah Al Qanbar

4 - Fadhel Al Qanbar

5 - Mosa Abdull al-Sadiq

   It is worth mentioning that the latter was arrested in July 1996 during the Regime’s campaign against the religious and sectarian activities.

   Some learned sources inside the country expressed their concern towards these detainees  which their case was similar to the case of the two citizens Tirki al-Tirki and Abdul Khaliq al-Janbi who were arrested in 1992 because of their debate and defense about their sect and religious faiths with the lecturer at the University of King Abdul Aziz in Jedda and they were charged of cursing Allah and His Prophet (P.B.U.H) They were subjected to th psychological and physical torture and that time , it was decided to behead them but for the public protest and the intervention of the jurists and Ulema and Islamic personalities who exerted pressure on the Regime.

   In the village of Rabieyah in Tarout Island , the members of al-Mabahith al-`Amma have arrested the citizen Ibrahim Abbas Awal , a 24-year- old a local employee.

   In the village of Adakhlel Mahdood in Qatif , al-Mabahith al-`Amma has arrested the citizen Salam al-Shammasi the charge of contributing the photos of the martyr Mohammad al-Hayek who was killed in the prison of al-Ha`ir in Reyadh.

   The town of al-Qatif has witnessed a detention of many citizens within the Regime’s campaign against the actives in the religious field and holding the sectarian rites. Also scores of citizens in Ihsaa and Qatif have been called to al-Mabahith al-Amma to sign undertakings that they should not practice the religious activities and should not held sectarian rites.

   We express our deep concern towards the detainees who were unknown fate even for their relatives who stated that they did not visit them since their detention whom some of them are still held in custody for three years. The authorities did not clarify their situation and the charges against them. Some of them may face the same fate of the martyrs Maithem al-Bahr and Mohammad al-Hayek.

   We call on the Saudi regime to set up an immediate enquiry into the death of Mohammad al-Hayek and to bring the perpetrators to justice , we  also call on others to exert pressure on the Regime to release immediately all the detainees whom some of them have been held incommunicado more than two years without legal justifications.