Saudi Arabia has intensified its arrests and convictions of human rights advocates and dissenting writers in 2017, Human Rights Watch (HRW) [advocacy website] reported [HRW report] on Monday. In January a Saudi court sentenced two human rights activists to long prison terms following allegations of contact with international human rights organizations and media. Two other men, Ahmed al-Musheikhis and Essam Koshak, were questioned and arrested in Mecca and Qatif. Although officials have not disclosed [BBC report] the reasons for their detentions, HRW speculates it is due to their peaceful activism. HRW notes that many of these activists are charged for “participating in protests” and “breaking allegiance with the ruler,” neither of which constitute a crime under Saudi law.

Saudi Arabia has denied all allegations of arbitrary arrest, unfair detention, egregious prison conditions, and other human rights violations and has cited Article 26 of the Kingdom’s Basic Law of Governance [text] as the sole legal recourse of the human rights prisoners. Saudi Arabia’s justice system has drawn international criticism for perceived human rights abuses in recent years. In January 2015 a Saudi judge sentenced prominent human rights lawyer Walid Abu al-Khair to an additional five years in jail [JURIST report] after he refused to show remorse for “showing disrespect” to authorities and creating an unauthorized association. In December 2014 a Saudi Arabia court ordered [JURIST report] the criminal cases against two women’s rights activists be transferred to a special tribunal for terrorism. The women were arrested for attempting to drive into the country from the UAE. In October 2014 a Saudi Arabia Court sentenced three lawyers to between five and eight years in prison for criticizing the justice system [JURIST report] on Twitter by accusing authorities of carrying out arbitrary detentions. Earlier that month Amnesty International issued a report claiming that Saudi Arabia persecutes rights activists and silences government critics [JURIST report], especially in the years since the Arab Spring in 2011. In July 2014 then-UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navy Pillay, expressed deep concern over the harsh sentences and detention of peaceful human rights advocates [JURIST report] in Saudi Arabia in recent months. In February 2014 JURIST Guest Columnist Adam Coogle of Human Rights Watch argued that a new Saudi Arabian terrorism law was a vague, catch-all document [JURIST op-ed] that can—and probably will—be used to prosecute or jail anyone who criticizes the Saudi government and to violate their due process rights along the way.