Originally published on August 13, 2014, at ForceChange.com
Target: Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, King of Saudi Arabia
Goal: End the heinous practice of torture and human rights abuses in Saudi prisons
Although the law prohibits the use of torture, many prisoners in Saudi Arabia are regularly beaten and humiliated by their jailors. Imposing degrading punishments on their prisoners, government officials in Saudi Arabia consistently break both Sharia law and statutory law by continuing these practices well into the 21st century. Instead of falsely claiming that inflicting torture prevents terrorist attacks, government officials simply torture prisoners to flaunt their abusive power.
According to the U.S. State Department, the Saudi Arabian government is guilty of kidnapping, torture, human trafficking, illegally detaining citizens without charges, and murder. By regularly committing human rights abuses against its own people, the Saudi Arabian government exerts its power through absolute fear and intimidation. Human rights activists are often secretly arrested without committing a crime, and then are imprisoned and tortured.
In one case, security officials removed a human rights activist from his prison cell and poured anti-septic cleaning fluid down his throat. In another case, a prisoner was tortured to death by government officials, but his killers were never charged with his murder. Amnesty International has called for the release of a liberal blogger who received a sentence of ten years and 1,000 lashes for insulting religious leaders on an online public forum.
By signing the petition below you will urge the King of Saudi Arabia, Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, to stop these inhumane and degrading practices against the people of his own country.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz,
Although it is illegal to practice torture on prisoners in your country, your government refuses to enforce these laws against officials who commit these horrific crimes. By enacting human rights abuses against your own people, you appear weak and fearful in the eyes of the international community. Human rights activists deserve your government’s support, not lengthy prison sentences and humiliating punishments.
Each year, the U.S. State Department finds your government guilty of savage cruelty against your own citizenry. By continuing to illegally imprison human rights activists without charges and torturing them publicly or in their prison cells, you have declared an unsustainable war against your own people. How long do you think your people will support leaders who regularly kidnap, torture, and murder its citizens while also participating in human trafficking?
By refusing to enforce both statutory law and Sharia law, your government is not only breaking the law but committing a mortal sin as well. Your people will only obey the law if it applies to everyone equally. Take the steps to punish those guilty of torture and human rights abuse before another Arab uprising reaches your country.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Arcimboldo via Wikimedia Commons
andrewemett 