Amnesty urges Saudi Arabia to end repressive practices

Human rights watchdog Amnesty International said 2013 promises to be a dark year for freedom of expression and of association in Saudi Arabia, urging the country's authorities to end repressive practices."During the first quarter of 2013, the Saudi Arabian authorities have resorted to additional measures to augment those they have previously used to repress freedom of expression and of association," Amnesty said in a statement."Amnesty International is calling on the Saudi Arabian authorities to end such repressive practices and to allow all individuals in Saudi Arabia to peacefully exercise these rights," the statement added."Not content with imprisoning dozens of prominent human rights activists in 2012, the Saudi Arabian authorities have expanded the scope of their repression of peaceful activists by imposing more travel bans for unspecified reasons and durations, by disbanding at least one civil society organization as well as removing its social media accounts, and taking steps towards banning social media applications if these cannot be fully monitored and controlled."As the Saudi Arabian authorities impose these additional restrictions on freedoms of expression and association, they continue to violate their international human right obligations as well as, in some instances, national law. The violations that have taken place so far in 2013 will only continue unless the authorities comply with their international obligations and respect the human rights of everyone in Saudi Arabia".