The Saudi Arabian female political activist who may be facing the death penalty has only been accused of non-violent crimes, it emerged today.
Israa al-Ghomgham, 29, is currently on trial over charges relating to anti-government protests and political activism in the eastern region of Qatif.
Human rights organisations have accused the Saudi regime of ‘monstrous’ behaviour in relation to her imprisonment and trial, saying the royal family and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman can no longer ‘spin the fairy tale of ‘reform’.
On trial: Israa al-Ghomgham, 29, pictured as a child holding her sister, has been imprisoned since 2015, after taking part in anti-government protests in the eastern region of Qatif
Fresh details of the charges were revealed today after her case was reported on Tuesday.
Ms Al-Ghomgham has been charged with a series of non-violent crimes, including ‘incitement to protest,’ ‘chanting slogans hostile to the regime,’ ‘filming protests and publishing on social media,’ and ‘providing moral support to rioters.’
Prosecutors have called for her execution based on the Islamic law principle of ta’zir, in which the judge has discretion over the definition of what constitutes a crime and over the sentence.
‘Any execution is appalling, but seeking the death penalty for activists like Israa al-Ghomgham, who are not even accused of violent behavior, is monstrous,’ said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch.
‘Every day, the Saudi monarchy’s unrestrained despotism makes it harder for its public relations teams to spin the fairy tale of ‘reform’ to allies and international business.’
Ms Al-Ghomgham is a Shia activist, and had been fighting to end discrimination against Saudi Shia citizens in the majority-Sunni country.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has expressed a desire to soften his nation’s image, but the number of executions has risen since his ascension
Ms Al-Ghomgham and five other activists, including her husband, were arrested in December 2015, and have been imprisoned since.
Human rights activists say none of them have been offered proper legal representation.
During Ms Al-Ghomgham’s first trial session earlier this month, the prosecution recommended that she be sentenced to death for her crimes.
It is thought that she would then become the first female human rights and political activist to be executed in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia uses several methods of capital punishment, however the most common is beheading.
The court has yet to convict Ms Al-Ghomgham and her five co-defendants, and the trial is not due to continue until the end of October.
There have been several false reports on social media claiming that Ms Al-Ghomgham had already been executed.
Images of another woman has also been spread online with commentators claiming her to be Ms Al-Ghomgham, however the only photo of her available is a family photo from her childhood where she is seen holding her younger sister,
Several Saudi Arabian human rights activists have taken to social media to slam the reports, urging supporters not to share false information which could hurt her case.
Since 2015, Saudi Arabia has executed seven women, on average two per year, for crimes such as murder.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has expressed a desire to soften his nation’s image, but the number of executions has risen since his ascension.
Last year, the hardline Muslim nation executed a total of 146 people, according to Amnesty, up from 90 in 2015.