(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Protesters held a demonstration in Awamiyah, located in Qatif region of the Eastern Province, on Sunday.
Demonstrators also condemned the killing of 22-year-old Essam Mohammad Abu Abdullah by Saudi security forces during a similar demonstration in Awamiyah on Thursday evening.
Amnesty International called on Saudi authorities on Friday to “immediately launch an independent investigation” into the death of Abdullah and said “investigations that were announced into previous protester deaths in similar incidents do not appear to have gone anywhere.”
In November 2011, security forces killed five protesters and injured many others in Eastern Province. The funerals for the victims usually turned to demonstrations with protesters chanting slogans against the Al Saud regime.
Since February 2011, Saudi protesters have held demonstrations on an almost regular basis in oil-rich Eastern Province, specifically in Qatif and Awamiyah, calling for the release of all political prisoners, the exercise of freedom of expression and assembly and an end to widespread discrimination.
The Saudi Interior Ministry issued a statement on March 5, 2011, prohibiting “all forms of demonstrations, marches, or protests, and calls for them.”
Saudi Arabia is a state party to the Arab Charter on Human Rights. Article 24 of the charter states that “every citizen has the right… to freely pursue a political activity [and] to freedom of association and peaceful assembly.”
The latest demonstration in Awamiyah follows UK Prime Minister David Cameron's recent visit to Saudi Arabia.
On January 13, Cameron met with Saudi King Abdullah and Interior Minister Crown Prince Nayef in his first trip to the kingdom as prime minister. The two sides discussed the “strengthening of security, trade and energy ties, and the sales of the latest technology and weaponry” to Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia is Britain's biggest trading partner in the Middle East and its investment in the United Kingdom is worth at least USD 95 billion.
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