Saudi Government Releases Elderly Religious Leader
(WASHINGTON DC) December 24, 2002...Ali Al-Ahmed ..The Saudi government today released a leading Ismaili religious leader Hajj Mohamed Al-Saadi, 65, who was arrested April 2000 following the government attack on the main Ismaili mosque in Najran.
Al-Saadi was arrested along with 104 Shia Ismailis and was transferred to Al-Hair, the maximum security prison in Riyadh. His release follows the king’s pardon which cut half the sentences of most Ismaili religious prisoners early December.
The interior ministry sentenced 17 Ismailis to death, but the sentences were reduced in early December to 10 years terms following international protest.
Since the pardon at least 11 Ismaili prisoners were released, and 70 were moved from Riyadh to Najran prison.
In April 2000 the government forces killed two Ismaili citizens in front of the Holiday Inn, when they were protesting the arrest of religious leader during the attack on Al-Manosura mosque.
Ali Al-Ahmed, director of Saudi Institute said releasing few prisoners dose not address human right abuses and religious persecution of Saudi citizens. He said the government is yet to allow independent review of the April attack. He said his Institute will ask the US government to investigate the use of American made tanks against civilians in Najran. |
