Trial of three reformers in Saudi Arabia resumed

A Saudi court resumed on Monday the trial of three Saudi reformers in a close door session. The three men had demanded the introduction of political reforms after it was postponed last week.

A relative for one of the three convicted men, Ali al-Madeini, Abdullah hHamid and Matrouk al-Faleh said that the judge stressed after a hearing session lasted for two hours that the sentence will be issued within two weeks.

The court refused to give more time for the attorney general to make further investigation.

The trial of the reformers was postponed many times since their detention more than one year ago at the request of the attorney general who asked for more time to provide additional evidence against the suspects.

Worthy mentioning that the three men were among a group of 12 activists who were arrested in March and the authorities released 6 of them after they vowed to give up their open calls for reform.

They were also within a group of 116 who submitted a petition to the Saudi authorities in December 2003 in which they demanded the introduction of constitutional reforms including vast people's participation in parliamentary elections and separation between the three authorities.

Worthy mentioning the three men refused to answer accusations addressed to them as far as the trial is a close-door session. Some 20 men of their supporters gathered before the court which was reinforced by police, and the media was prevented from attending it.