Report Covering the storming which happened on Awamia city and martyrdom a young man Al-Muslab, and covering the collective offensives on citizen’s homes and the list twenty three wanted
Report (ESOHR) Covering the storming which happened on Awamia city and martyrdom a young man Al-Muslab, and covering the collective offensives on citizen’s homes and the list twenty three wanted
Thu 05-09-2013:
On Thursday 05/09/2013 at 10 am, the Saudi security forces stormed the city of Awamiah in the Qatif province with dozens of armored SWAT vehicles and armored civilian vehicles including unknown number of armed soldiers. After the imposition of security cordon on foot around a number of neighborhoods and closing entrances, it was confirmed that the security force broke into three houses without any prior notification or permission. These three houses belong to:
1. Mohammed Easa Al Labad.
2. Muhammad Ali Al Toby (direct neighbor to first house)
3. Musa Jaffar Al Mabyoq.
Excessive force was used, causing breaking doors locks, personal properties, terrorize women, children and the elderly who were in these houses at the time.
This procedure was aimed to arrest some of the peaceful activists who were listed on the twenty three wanted lists, declared by the Interior Ministry on 02/01/2012, which later on became known as the list of the twenty three candles. A report on this list was issued by the ESSHR last August.
In addition, security forces surrounded other two peaceful activists’ houses, which also on the list, and they are:
1. Ramzi Mohammed Al Jamal.
2. Fadel Hassan Al Safwani .
During this operation, live ammunitions were used heavily resulting in the killing of the martyr Ahmed Ali Al Muslab, 19 years old.
This act by the Saudi security force, which clearly violates local as well as international laws, is not the first of its kind. Previously, a series of security operations were done to a number of peaceful activates’ houses such as:
1. 1. Fadel Hassan Al Safwani, and martyr Morsi Al Rebh on 02/19/2013
2. Al Muzara’s family house on 29/07/2013
After nearly two hours of surrounding residential neighborhoods, and storming a number of houses, security forces began to withdraw from the site leaving a bear witness to what happened.
Until this moment of writing the report, the damages and violations of this action have not been all identified yet due to the emotional distress and terror of the victims caused by the security force during the operation. More information regarding this incident will be provided in a detailed report later on.
ESSHR is asking human right organizations worldwide for urgent action and attention to ensure the security of citizens, activists and their families. Many recent incidents indicate an eliciting infringement on human rights and criminal procedure by the Saudi authorities that clearly violates the international treaties on human rights and criminal law procedure. And in regard to this issue, Saudi authorities have been defending their actions by implausible justifications, where all human rights activities are criminalized.
