Saudi Arabia Sentences Man To 15 Years For “PromSaudi Arabiaoting Atheism” In Tweets
Charges towards the Yemeni guy blanketed the “denial of the lifestyles of God” in addition to publishing content material which “prejudices public order, spiritual values, and public morals on social media”, Human Rights Watch stated.
Human Rights Watch stated Monday a Saudi courtroom docket had sentenced a Yemeni guy to fifteen years for apostasy, urging the dominion to prioritise decriminalising blasphemy amid a modernisation drive.
The rights organization stated that Ali Abu Luhum, 38, have been accused of creating comments “through nameless Twitter accounts”, which prosecutors argued had been registered with telecellsmartphone numbers connected to him.
“The courtroom docket located that the tweets had been selling ‘apostasy, unbelief, and atheism'”, HRW stated, reporting the trial become held with out defence witnesses.
Charges towards Abu Luhum blanketed the reported “denial of the lifestyles of God” in addition to publishing content material which “prejudices public order, spiritual values, and public morals on social media”, HRW stated.
It stated Abu Luhum become located responsible of “selling atheism” and become sentenced to “15 years in jail for apostasy”, however gave no similarly info of what he become accused of saying.
There become no on the spot reaction from Riyadh.
The trial become held in October, with an attraction expecting a selection through the Supreme Court, HRW stated.
Abu Luhum is held in a prison in Najran, near the border with Yemen.
The Sunni Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is main a navy coalition backing Yemen’s internationally-acknowledged authorities in its conflict towards Iran-subsidized Shiite Huthi rebels.
Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has sought to assignment a moderate, business-pleasant picture of his austere country as he seeks to reinforce funding to diversify the financial system farfar from oil.
Saudi has additionally invested closely in latest years withinside the tourism, enjoyment and sports activities sectors.
“Saudi government are sparing no fee to painting the united states of america as tolerant and reforming, however contradicting nation orthodoxy on faith nonetheless effects in a decade-and-a-1/2 of jail sentence,” Michael Page, HRW’s deputy Middle East, stated in a statement.
“A ‘modernising’ Saudi Arabia wishes to first forestall policing people’s non-public beliefs,” he added, calling for “the decriminalisation of blasphemy.”
