Saudi Arabia declares all atheists are terrorists in new law to crack down on political dissidents - Middle East - World

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  • Saudi Arabia declares all atheists are terrorists in new law to crack down on political dissidents | The Independent

    https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-declares-all-atheists-are-terrorists-in-new-law-to-crack

    #impayables_saoudiens # #arabie_saoudite

    Saudi Arabia has introduced a series of new laws which define atheists as terrorists, according to a report from Human Rights Watch.

    In a string of royal decrees and an overarching new piece of legislation to deal with terrorism generally, the Saudi King Abdullah has clamped down on all forms of political dissent and protests that could “harm public order”.

  • Saudi Arabia declares all atheists are terrorists in new law to crack down on political dissidents - Middle East - World - The Independent
    http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-declares-all-atheists-are-terrorists-in-new-law-to-crack

    Saudi Arabia has introduced a series of new laws which define atheists as terrorists, according to a report from Human Rights Watch.

    In a string of royal decrees and an overarching new piece of legislation to deal with terrorism generally, the Saudi King Abdullah has clamped down on all forms of political dissent and protests that could “harm public order”.

    The new laws have largely been brought in to combat the growing number of Saudis travelling to take part in the civil war in Syria, who have previously returned with newfound training and ideas about overthrowing the monarchy.

    To that end, King Abdullah issued Royal Decree 44, which criminalises “participating in hostilities outside the kingdom” with prison sentences of between three and 20 years, Human Rights Watch said.

    Yet last month further regulations were issued by the Saudi interior ministry, identifying a broad list of groups which the government considers to be terrorist organisations - including the Muslim Brotherhood.

    Article one of the new provisions defines terrorism as “calling for atheist thought in any form, or calling into question the fundamentals of the Islamic religion on which this country is based”.

    Joe Stork, deputy Middle East and North Africa director of Human Rights Watch, said: "Saudi authorities have never tolerated criticism of their policies, but these recent laws and regulations turn almost any critical expression or independent association into crimes of terrorism.

    “These regulations dash any hope that King Abdullah intends to open a space for peaceful dissent or independent groups,” Mr Stork said.

    Human Rights Watch said the new regulations were also a setback to campaigns for the protection and release of a number of prominent human rights activists currently jailed in Saudi Arabia. It said Waleed Abu al-Khair and Mikhlif al-Shammari recently lost appeals and will soon begin three-month and five-year respective sentences for criticizing Saudi authorities.

    The organisation said the new “terrorism” provisions contain language that prosecutors and judges are already using to prosecute and convict independent activists and peaceful dissidents.

    #Saudi-Arabia
    #atheists are #terrorists in new #law

    • ce garçon devrait lire ou relire : La théière de Russell, parfois appelée théière céleste
      > http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Th%C3%A9i%C3%A8re_de_Russell

      De nombreuses personnes orthodoxes parlent comme si c’était le travail des sceptiques de réfuter les dogmes plutôt qu’à ceux qui les soutiennent de les prouver. Ceci est bien évidemment une erreur. Si je suggérais qu’entre la Terre et Mars se trouve une théière de porcelaine en orbite elliptique autour du Soleil, personne ne serait capable de prouver le contraire pour peu que j’aie pris la précaution de préciser que la théière est trop petite pour être détectée par nos plus puissants télescopes. Mais si j’affirmais que, comme ma proposition ne peut être réfutée, il n’est pas tolérable pour la raison humaine d’en douter, on me considérerait aussitôt comme un illuminé. Cependant, si l’existence de cette théière était décrite dans des livres anciens, enseignée comme une vérité sacrée tous les dimanches et inculquée aux enfants à l’école, alors toute hésitation à croire en son existence deviendrait un signe d’excentricité et vaudrait au sceptique les soins d’un psychiatre à une époque éclairée, ou de l’Inquisiteur en des temps plus anciens.