Saudi opposition: Hunger strike by detained Islamists

Sources of the Saudi Arabian opposition abroad said that more than 40 persons suspected to having links with al-Qaida organization started since one week a food strike in al-Rweis prison in Jeddah.

The spokesman for the Islamic movement for al-Islah ( reforms ) in Saudi Arabia -- whose headquarters is in London, Saad al-Faqih, said quoting medical sources that "the detainees' ages ranges between 19- 40 year old were arrested on charges of accusing the Saudi regime of 'being Kuffar (sinners) and for collaborating with al-Qaida and that they were greatly tortured.'"

According to al-Faqih, the detainees started a hunger strike on December 27 and they still observe the strike and they call on the authorities to study their situation after they were questioned without being brought before a court or released.

Al-Faqih added that many of the food strike observers were admitted to hospitals as doctors decided their need for feeding and liquids because of their very bad health conditions. He added that the prison's authorities were obliged to convert cell nunmber 3 into a clinic so as not to be obliged to take the hunger strike observers to hospitals in order to preserve secrecy and to prevent the leakage of the news.

A source in the prison confirmed the hunger strike news. According to this source some "106 persons accused of having ties with al-Qaida are held in al-Rweis prison since 15 months."