The Saudi regime continues to persecute activists of all types, without any regard for their human rights nor the criticism of international human rights organisations.
The Saudi judiciary has rejected an appeal submitted by 10 Nubian Egyptians against their prison sentences, ranging from 10 to 18 years, which they received as punishment for organising an event to mark the anniversary of the 1973 Arab Israeli war.
In October 2019, a group of Egyptian Nubian civil society groups based in Saudi Arabia organised an event to commemorate the Nubians who died during the 1973 Arab Israeli conflict. In response, the Saudi authorities arrested and detained the organisers. Others allegedly involved were interrogated and later released.
Those that were detained were released after approximately two months, though received travel bans.
However, in mid-July of 2020 many of those who had been detained were re-arrested and sent to Asir Prison in Abha City. They were initially prevented from communicating with their families (though they were later allowed one telephone call per week), and denied legal representation.
The 10 people arrested were accused of being members of a “terrorist” organisation.
After more than a year of detention, they were tried by a specialised anti-terrorism court that is infamous for its reliance on confessions made under duress and its harsh sentencing.
The detainees are all Egyptian citizens, and all members of the Nubian minority. Several of them are over 65-years old; most of them suffer from chronic diseases and require regular medical care.
They all belonged to various civil society groups that support Egyptian Nubians living in the Kingdom.
During the special court’s session, the detainees were forced to use state-appointed lawyers.
The court ignored the fact that the detainees’ own lawyer admitted to extracting confessions from his clients under duress.
