Saudi Arabia: Arrest, torture and loss of livelihood for protest

The report documents patterns of human rights violations in the Eastern Province against mainly Shi’a Muslims suspected of participating in protests or of engaging in activities that fall under their rights to freedom of expression but seen by the authorities as a challenge to the government or sympathetic to protesters in Bahrain.

Amnesty International, while recognizing the responsibility of the Saudi Arabian authorities to preserve public order, is concerned that many of those arrested appear to have been detained arbitrarily.  The organization is particularly concerned about reports that several of those held have been subjected to torture or ill-treatment.

Amnesty International has also documented cases where individuals have been subjected, among other measures, to travel bans or dismissed from employment apparently to punish them for exercising their right to freedom of expression or assembly.

Read the report Saudi Arabia: Dissident voices stifled in the eastern province