Norway deplores judgments against Saudi human rights defenders

Saudi Arabia recently condemned two human rights activists to long prison sentences for having started a human rights organisation amongst other things. “Norway deplores the judgments against the Saudi human rights defenders Mohammed al-Qahtani and Abdullah al-Hamed,” said Gry Larsen, State Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Mohammed al-Qahtani has been condemned to ten years’ imprisonment and an additional ten-year ban on travel for having started the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association (ACPRA) amongst other things. The other founder of ACPRA, Abdullah al-Hamed, must serve six years in prison to complete a previous sentence and in addition serve a new sentence of five years, followed by a five-year travel ban. The court ordered that ACPRA was to be closed down, and its assets and publications confiscated. It is reported that both Mr al-Qahtani and Mr al-Hamed have appealed against the judgments. Norway is concerned about these judgments and other recent serious violations of human rights in Saudi Arabia.

“Human rights defenders like Mohammed al-Qahtani and Abdullah al-Hamed play a key role in social development in Saudi Arabia. I urge the Saudi authorities in the strongest terms to comply with their obligations under international conventions and ensure that human rights defenders are able to carry out their work,” said Ms Larsen.