Be jointly liable with the  prisoners of conscience and faith

THE  COMMITTEE   FOR  THE  DEFENSE  OF  HUMAN  RIGHTS  IN

THE  ARABIAN  PENINSULA 

DATE  : 23 / 03/ 2002  

NO  : 108 / H / 2002

The Saudi regime brushes aside the freedom of speech and faith which are guaranteed by Shari'a and the international treaties , arrests and harasses religious scholars and literates in the country.

On 19 March 2002 coinciding with 7 Mahrram  1423 AH. the police of Ihsaa province arrested Hijotalislam Sayyid Hashim Sayyid Mohammad al-Shakhs, a 45 – year- old , from Qarrah village in Ihsaa in his home on the pretext he was practicing religious activities and giving speeches during the celebration of  Ashura .

It is worth mentioning that Sayyid al-Shakhs , who is one of the most prominent clerics in the country and the Imam the mosque of Qarah village , was previously arrested in September 1996 and in April 2000 for the same charges, but he did not comply with the undertakings that he should not practice his religious activities.

The arrest of Sayyid al-Shakhs followed the arrest of the poet Abdul Mohsen Halyt Musalam, a 45- year - old , from al-Madinah al-Munawwarah, who expressed his view and criticized the corruption of Saudi judiciary which is dependent and does not guarantee the citizens` rights in fair trials. He expressed his view in the religious establishment which represents the scholars of Royal Court who interpret the Shari`a and Islamic laws for compliance with the regime's oppressive policies and they consider the practice of other branches of Islam as atheist schools.

On other hand, during the last few days the Saudi regime has closed down a Hussaynayah ( a religious hall where the Shi`a conduct religious services ) in Iskan province near Pattaliyah village in Ihsaa.

The police of Iskan province summoned some citizens including: Abdullah Taher al-Abbad and Abdulwahab Ali al-Hurabba from Omran village in Ihsaa and forced them to sign undertakings that they should not conduct any religious services in their Hussayniyats.

The police of Ihsaa also have arrested an Indian worker on charges of holding ceremonies of Hussaini funeral ceremonies at his home.