AI, HRW call for probes of Saudi torture claims

BEIRUT: International human rights groups on Friday called on Saudi Arabia to allow independent investigators into the country to probe fresh accusations of torture and abuse of human rights activists.

The calls by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch (HRW) follow a similar appeal in November and December from the watchdogs which said investigations by Saudi Arabia itself had not been satisfactory.

London-based Amnesty said it has obtained new reports concerning 10 human rights activists who had been "tortured, sexually abused and subjected to other forms of ill-treatment" in detention.

"One woman activist was wrongly told by an interrogator that her family members had died and was made to believe this for an entire month", while two others "were forced to kiss each other while interrogators watched", Amnesty said.

"We are extremely concerned about the wellbeing of these activists, who have been in arbitrary detention for around nine months simply for standing up for human rights," Amnesty’s Lynn Maalouf.

"The Saudi Arabian authorities have repeatedly proven themselves unwilling to effectively protect detainees from torture, or to carry out impartial investigations into claims of torture in custody," she said.

Amnesty called on Saudi Arabia "to give independent monitoring bodies immediate and unfettered access to the detained activists". HRW issued a similar appeal in a separate statement on Friday.

"Saudi authorities should immediately allow independent international monitors to enter Saudi Arabia and meet with detainees, including those who have alleged torture," it said.