Politics & Policies: Saudi jails reformers

By Claude Salhani
UPI International Editor

WASHINGTON, May 15 (UPI) -- A court in Saudi Arabia has sentenced three prominent constitutional reformers to prison, handing down sentences ranging from six to nine years. The United States, which has been calling on countries of the Middle East to engage in greater political reform, has remained quiet over the ruling.

The reformers were charged with calling for a constitutional monarchy in Saudi Arabia to replace the existing absolute monarchy. The trial was adjourned several times earlier this year on request of the prosecutor who asked for more time to "collect additional evidence" against the three.

Ali al-Domaini was given nine years; Abdallah al-Hamed seven years and Matrouk al-Falih six years, lawyers and relatives said.

At the conclusion of the trial Sunday, Domaini's wife, Fawzia al-Ouni, described the proceedings as "the trial of reform in Saudi Arabia."

Arrested 14 months ago, the three were convicted of "stirring up sedition and disobeying the ruler," al-Ouni said.

The three, along with dozens of others, were arrested March 2004 for organizing petitions urging the kingdom's absolute monarchy shift toward a constitutional model and begin implementing political reforms.

Al-Domaini received two Freedom to Write awards from Pen USA and Pen New England in April and May.

Other reformers in prison include reformer lawyer Abdulrahman al-Lahim, and Mohna al-Faleh both detained without known charge or trial.

Pro-reform advocates are questioning the Bush administration's silence over the matter, which goes counter to the president's desire to see more freedom and reform implemented in the Middle East.

Part of the charges against the reformers included "introducing "Western terminology," according to the Center for Democracy and Human Rights in Saudi Arabia.

Ten other reformers, who were also arrested, were released after the Saudi government pressured them into signing affidavits agreeing not to petition or speak publicly about democratic reform, nor to travel outside the country.

The trial of the three accused took on additional significance when they requested court proceedings be open to the media and the public, a right that according to the law should be granted to defendants in the kingdom. However, reports from the kingdom say family members were prevented from attending the court session by order of the judges.

In an earlier statement, the Center for Democracy and Human Rights in Saudi Arabia described the detention conditions of the activists as "inhumane."

It claims there were "delaying tactics by the prosecution, and verbal acts of intimidation from the judge."

The democratic reformers have so far stood their ground and have refused to crack under intense Saudi government pressure to give up their demands, the group said.

"When we talk about Ali's trial, we shouldn't talk about it singularly," said al-Ouni. She said it was all of Saudi Arabia that was on trial.

Ali Alyami, the center's director, called on the Bush administration and the U.S. Congress to "stop regarding the Saudi royal family as sacrosanct and start holding them accountable for their violations of human rights.

"Defeating terrorism and eradicating religious extremism and intolerance require a genuine overhaul of Saudi political, social, religious, and economic institutions," said Alyami.

Reform advocates call this "troubling evidence and indicative of the Saudi regime's unwillingness to consider and implement much-needed reforms, like the institution of a written constitution and a bill of rights to protect the people's rights."

The court's grounds for the unwarranted conviction included vaguely defined allegations as "challenging the authority of the ruler," and "giving a chance to the nation's enemies to harm it."

A lawyer for the three recently sentenced indicated they would appeal. However, without any judicial transparency, the fate of the appeal and of the three reformers is uncertain.

"The Saudi regime is determined to stifle reasonable and peaceful voices for reform in the country, and the trial and conviction of these democratic reformers is an important part of the government's strategy to strengthen its control over the country and its captive population," the center said in a statement. "These developments reveal all claims that the Saudi regime intends to embark on a path of meaningful reforms as misleading and unfounded, and underline the need for clear and consistent international pressure on the authoritarian regime to respect human rights and accept genuine democratic change."

Alyami said it was time for the United States to act.

"Surely it is time for the Bush administration and the U.S. Congress to stop regarding the Saudi royal family as sacrosanct and start holding them accountable for their violations of human rights," Alyami said.

The center called on the U.S. government, Congress, the media, and all international human and civil rights organizations to publicly condemn the Saudi government for the sentencing of reformers who wanted to save their country from sliding into religious, political, economic and civil chaos, and to demand their immediate and unconditional release.

"More and more Saudis are demanding transparency," wrote Anthony Cordesman and Nawaf Obaid of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in a Feb. 5 report titled "Saudi Counterterrorism Efforts."

Saudi Arabia is trying to bring about change which, one well-informed intelligence official said "must start with the royal family."

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(Comments may be sent to Claude@upi.com.)
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