Human Rights Watch called on the Saudi King to repeal a counterterrorism law, saying the bill would cause serious human rights violations and describing it as draconian.
Human Rights Watch called on the Saudi King to repeal a counterterrorism law, saying the bill would cause serious human rights violations and describing it as draconian.
In a letter to the King, Abdullah Bin Abdul-Aziz, HRW said: “Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah should withdraw a draft counterterrorism law from consideration by the cabinet because it would facilitate serious human rights violations”.
“The Saudi draft counterterrorism law is draconian in spirit and letter, and there is every reason to fear that the authorities will easily and eagerly use it against peaceful dissidents”, charged Christoph Wilcke, senior HRW's Middle East researcher.
The Washington-based group urged the government to consult with international human rights experts to draft a bill that "would protect rather than infringe on basic rights”.
"The draft counterterrorism law is trying to enshrine as legal the Saudi Interior Ministry's unlawful practices," Wilcke said in a statement..
"It lumps peaceful political opposition together with violent acts and ensures that the accused won't get a fair trial," he added.
HRW said it received a copy of the draft -- the Penal Law for Crimes of Terrorism and its Financing -- on July 22 from a source who said that the bill was in its final stages of discussion.
The group also warned that the bill "contains an extremely vague and overbroad definition of terrorism, places unwarranted restrictions on the rights to free expression and assembly, grants excessive police powers without judicial oversight, and infringes on the rights to due process and a fair trial."
It charged that several articles "unduly restrict the rights to expression and assembly," and said that "describing the king, or the crown prince, as an unbeliever" can be considered an act of terror.
The law would add 23 crimes carrying the death penalty, including acts that involve only threats of violence, HRW said.
For its part, London-based rights group Amnesty International said last month the bill “threatens to strangle peaceful dissent”.
