On Saturday morning 20/12/2014, the Saudi security forces stormed the Awamia city, east of Saudi Arabia, using armored and civil cars backed up by a helicopter flying at low altitude.
As a result of this operation, which started 6 am until 3:30pm and caused human and material losses and damages, officials stated that 5 people were killed extra-judicially including a minor. However, the government has denied its responsibility about the minor only, Thamer Al Rabi, later on through one of its newspapers and the dead are:
| Name | Birthdates | Age | Method of Murder | |
| 1 | Thamer Hassan Al Rabi | 12/09/1997 | 17 years | Shot in the throat while he was in his car |
| 2 | Hassan Ali Al Mslab | 16/08/1996 | 18 years | Killed mysteriously by the Saudi security forces after being arrested |
| 3 | Reza Abdullah Al Bandari | 19/09/1991 | 23 years | Killed mysteriously by the Saudi security forces after being arrested |
| 4 | Ali Abdullah Abu Abdullah | 04/03/1990 | 24 years | Left burning and choking in the raid site, and a bullet was seen on his chest |
| 5 | Abdullah Ali Al Madad | 04/02/1983 | 31 years | Left burning and choking in the raid site, and a bullet was seen in his head |
It is estimated that the number security force involved in the raid is between 100 to 150, equipped with a variety of weapons including hand grenade. This raid covered some neighborhoods of Awamia city with a total area of around 2 square kilometers. Also, according to official statements, a member of the security forces was moderately injured.
Despite the fact of people fear about being exposed to risks through documenting or speaking up about such an event, but the Saudi European Organization for Human Rights (ESOHR) has spotted some cases of wounded. However, it will be kept private and confidential to protect the citizens of accountability and detention. This step is made based on previous experiences where the Saudi government had detained citizens who were injured because of the use of excessive force by security forces and some of those wounded are children; elderly and females, their injuries range between mild to moderate. Some of the injuries are because of the fragments of glass, due to the security forces deliberately shooting residential buildings’ windows to stop anyone from taking pictures/videos as it has been suggested by people through continual observation. Also, some children were traumatized due to the shooting noises and bullets which reached inside homes.
Here are some of the physical damage:
- 41 buildings were damaged, outside damage, due to the use of live ammunition. (Houses; apartments and residential buildings).
- 9 buildings were damaged, outside and inside, by the use of live ammunition.
- 16 broken windows of buildings with the use of live ammunition.
- Damages to 21 shops front entrance by the use of live ammunition, including 13 shops where damages reached the internal contents of the store.
- 5 holes in water tanks by the use of live ammunition.
- A hole in a water heater due to the use of live ammunition.
- 76 cars were damaged, 4 were completely burned and 72 were unevenly damaged by the use of live ammunition.
- Partial damages to three existing rooms in farms due to the use of live bullets and hand grenade.
On the next day of the operation, the Interior Ministry explained that the raid was intended to capture a wanted person, who a killed a soldier according to their statement in an incident on 12/14/2014. This operation was done without conducting an investigation so the victim can be charged and prosecuted nor providing a proof. And in regard to the incident, it said that it occurred at a security checkpoint area in (Al Nasrah) area in the province of Qatif. The official stated that this incident happened at 8pm, where some eyewitnesses told the ESOHR that they didn’t notice anything suspicious at that time such as gunshot or unusual movement, and even two hours before or after 8pm. Nevertheless, officials stated that (that the killing resulted from gunfire from neighboring farms from an unknown source). Yet, there was no noticeable security alert at the checkpoint or a medical emergency, but a regular smooth traffic flow, according eyewitnesses who passed by the checkpoint at that time. The area where the incident happened, Al Nasrah, is a populated residential area and right next to the checkpoint there are 150 houses is nearby [1], 25 of which are within 80m to 150m, which makes such a killing incident noticeable (you can see the site via Google Maps through the coordinates 26.580184, 50.002535) [2] . As a result, officials need a legal prove about this incident.
During the raid, the Saudi forces closed some of the entrances to the city Awamia, and due to the indiscriminate use of live ammunition, residents were terrified and lived such a curfew situation for hours. Since February 2012 until December 2014, the Saudi security forces have done more than a raid in Qatif province itself, and here are some:
During the raid, the Saudi forces closed some of the entrances to the city Awamia, and due to the indiscriminate use of live ammunition, residents were terrified and lived such a curfew situation for hours. Since February 2012 until December 2014, the Saudi security forces have done more than a raid in Qatif province itself, and here are some:
| # | Date | Location of the Rid | Damages |
| 1 | 27/02/2012 | The home of the wanted Fadel Al Safwani (34 years old), listed in the 23 wanted list, and has been chased ever since. And the home of the wanted Morsi Al Rebh (37 years old), also listed in the 23 wanted list. He was killed extra-judicially by Saudi forces, shot with live ammunition in 06/22/2013 | · Emotional and Psychological trauma to the families due to the raid
· Material damage in the two houses |
| 2 | 19/03/2013 | Raid on Ibrahim Al Hamidi’s home | · He was arrested under what the Saudi government called (spy cell).
· The confiscation of computers and smart devices and storage media · Hit his oldest son (Hadi) and caused damages to the house |
| 3 | 29/07/2013 | Abbas Al Mozara’s house (28 years), in the list 23 wanted, and were arrested in the raid | · Abbas Al Mozara was arrested along with another 6 of his brothers, who have nothing to do. The brothers are (Abbas, Muhammad, Fares, AbdulMohsen, Saleh, Mahdi, Salem). In addition, two other people who passed by at the time of the raid were also arrested: (Mackie Harfan, Mohammed Al thwaimr)
· Emotional and Psychological trauma to the families due to the raid · Serious material damage to the house; cars and surrounding shops |
| 4 | 05/09/2013 | Mohammed Al Al lubad’s house (31 years old), listed in the 23 wanted list. He is still being chased and another house | · Saudi forces killed Ahmed Al Mslab (19 years old) using live ammunition.
· Emotional and Psychological trauma to the families due to the raid · Material damage to the house |
| 5 | 16/01/2014 | Moses Al Mbioq’s house (26 years old), arrested January 2014 | · Material damage to the house, where the door was a bombed to get in. |
| 6 | 06/02/2014 | Raids on Al Qedayhe and Al Sayeg’s house | · Jassim Ali Qedayhe (24 years old) and Mehdi Al Sayegh (22 years old) were both arrested.
· Emotional and Psychological trauma to the families due to the raid · Material damage to the two houses |
| 7 | 20/02/2014 | Raid on Ahmed Al Faraj’s house | · killing the citizens Hussein Al Faraj (34 years old); Ali Al Faraj (22 years old) and two security force Nayef Mohammed Khbrani and Dleih Hadi Majrashi plus injuring two others
· Emotional and Psychological trauma to the families due to the raid · Material damage to the house |
| 8 | 20/12/2014 | Multiple raids on several locations in the city of Awwamiyya | · 5 citizens were killed: Thamer Hassan Al Rabi (17 years), Hassan Ali Al Mslab (18), Reza Abdullah Al Bandara (23 years), Ali Abdullah Abu Abdullah (24 years), Abdullah Ali Madad (31 years)
· Physical Injuries, psychological and material damages. |
What has done by the Saudi government in its raid in Awamia on 12/20/2014 was not limited to just catch the suspect, with no charge or prosecution, who is responsible for the killing of one of the soldiers, according to officials, but rather extra-judicial executions to 5 citizens that violate the law by ignoring fair judicial procedure. Moreover, side effects of this raid is not just the documented and confirmed one, there are still ongoing emotional and psychological trauma, particularly among children and women. Also, what have been seen on victims’ bodies suggested a clear torture and abuse before killing and indicates the act of revenge by the security force. Also, since security force actions have no legal consequence, simply impunity, citizens lose confidence in the rule of law and the justice system.
We in the ESOHR demand the Saudi government urgently::
- Stop the extrajudicial executions, which is unjustified and inconsistent with human rights laws ( Governments shall prohibit by law all extra-legal, arbitrary and summary executions and shall ensure that any such executions are recognized as offences under their criminal laws, and are punishable by appropriate penalties which take into account the seriousness of such offences. Exceptional circumstances including a state of war or threat of war, internal political instability or any other public emergency may not be invoked as a justification of such executions) [3] . Official statements indicate that such operations will continue and that is why it is important to highlighte it.
- Using to the rule of law and dealing fairly with any issues or reasonable suspicion. The official newspapers have been repeatedly issuing unproven adjudications with no legal bases.
- The Saudi government should take responsibility to prevent the extrajudicial executions: (In order to prevent extra-legal, arbitrary and summary executions, Governments shall ensure strict control, including a clear chain of command over all officials responsible for apprehension, arrest, detention, custody and imprisonment, as well as those officials authorized by law to use force and firearms) [4] .
- محاسبة المسؤولين والمنفذين لعمليات الإعدام خارج نطاق القضاء (تكفل الحكومات محاكمة الأشخاص الذين يظهر التحقيق أنهم اشتركوا في عمليات الإعدام خارج نطاق القانون أو الإعدام التعسفي أو الإعدام دون محاكمة) [5] وتقديمهم لمحاكمة علنية عادلة.
- Compensation to the families of the victims, but this doesn’t mean not suing officials who’ is involved in these crimes: (the families and dependents of victims of extra-legal, arbitrary or summary executions shall be entitled to fair and adequate compensation within a reasonable period of time) [6].
We also recall the Saudi government, who is an elected member of the Human Rights Council membership for three years (2014-2016), to meet the voluntary pledges made by the candidate of the Council: (Should Saudi Arabia be selected as a member for the period 2014-2016, it pledges to continue to support tirelessly the work of the Human Rights Council. It will continue to adhere to Human Rights Council resolutions, cooperate with its mechanisms and actively participate in its work during its regular and special sessions and in the session of the Social Forum.) [7] .
We also warn the human rights organizations and the international communities to the escalating violence of human rights in Saudi Arabia, as restrictions on freedom of expression; increased criminalizing on guaranteed rights that practices internationally to the point of execution and security repression of many of the legitimate rights For these reasons, we in the ESOHR believe such acts are the main cause of terrorism and intellectual extremism, which has become a threat to the condition of human rights and security worldwide.
[1] A picture of the checkpoint site in the Al Nasrah’s city and neighboring houses
http://www.esohr.org/?attachment_id=623
[2] The location on Google map
http://goo.gl/z5SpVF
[3] Principles on the Effective Prevention and Investigation of Extra-Legal, Arbitrary and Summary Executions, E.S.C. res. 1989/65, annex, 1989 U.N. ESCOR Supp. (No. 1)
http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/instree/i7pepi.htm#star
[4] same source (No.2)
[5] same source (No.18)
[6] same source (No.20)
[7] Note verbal dated 6 October 2013 from the Permanent Mission of Saudi Arabia to the United Nations addressed to the President of the General Assembly (No. 42)
http://www.un.org/en/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/68/535