3 Saudi Reform Advocates Sentenced

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Three Saudi reform advocates were sentenced Sunday to terms ranging from six to nine years in prison after being found guilty of sowing dissent, disobeying their rulers and sedition, their lawyer said.

The three were the last remaining detainees of 13 reformers arrested in March 2004 after criticizing the strict religious environment and slow pace of reform in the kingdom. Some had signed a letter to Crown Prince Abdullah calling for political, economic and social reforms, including parliamentary elections.

Ali Dimeeni was sentenced to nine years in prison, Abdullah Hamed to seven years and Matrouk Faleh to six years.

“The sentences were very surprising to us.... All they did was offer advice, a point of view,” said their lawyer, Sheik Ibrahim Mubarak. He said an appeal was planned.

Ibrahim Mugaiteeb, who heads an independent Saudi rights group, Human Rights First, called the sentences “too harsh” and “very unfortunate.” “This is a farce,” he said.

Judges initially said the trial would be open, a remarkable breakthrough in conservative Saudi Arabia where trials are normally conducted privately.

Two hundred people attended the first hearing last year, staging a rare display of public dissent by holding a sit-in and shouting “Long live reform!” disrupting courtroom proceedings. In subsequent hearings, however, family members, observers and journalists were barred.

The other 10 reformers arrested in 2004 were released on condition that they not speak to the media or engage in activities that could be viewed as subversive.