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UN accuses Saudi of using terror law to criminalise dissent

May 5, 2017 at 9:05 pm

Special Rapporteur, Ben Emmerson [Chatham House/Wikimedia]

The United Nations has accused Saudi Arabia of using anti-terror laws to criminalise political dissent and raised concerns over the use of torture against suspected terrorists before calling on the kingdom to carry out an independent fact finding investigation into civilian deaths in Yemen.

In a report published by Special Rapporteur, Ben Emmerson, yesterday, the official raised concerns over the broad definition of terrorism, which he said did not comply with international human rights standards.

Emmerson issued the report after a five day visit to Saudi Arabia to assess the government’s initiatives and policies in combating terrorism where he met heads of government institutions and individuals accused and convicted of terrorist crimes.

King of Saudi Arabia, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on December 8, 2016 [Bandar Algaloud / Saudi Royal Council / Handout - Anadolu Agency]

King of Saudi Arabia, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on December 8, 2016 [Bandar Algaloud / Saudi Royal Council / Handout – Anadolu Agency]

He said the kingdom’s anti-terror law criminalised peaceful expression and prosecuted human rights defenders and anyone deemed to be endangering “national unity” or undermining “the reputation or position of the state”.

While Emmerson praised Saudi’s rehabilitation work and said that the standard of its prisons was among the best in the world, he was extremely critical of the treatment of terrorist suspects. Emmerson said he heard accounts of torture and abuse of terrorist suspects during the investigation process. He raised specific concerns over ten priority cases for urgent review before recommending the government extend an invitation to the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Dr Nils Melzer.

In his recommendations also, Emmerson urged the Saudi authorities to set up an independent review mechanism to re-examine all cases in which individuals are currently serving sentences for exercising free speech, freedom of thought, before calling on King Salman to commute or pardon all such prisoners with immediate effect.

Lastly, the Special Rapporteur spoke of the need for greater transparency about civilian casualties in Saudi Arabia’s extra-territorial counter-terrorism operation in Yemen, calling for an independent fact finding investigation into all civilian deaths.