Canada adds fuel to dispute with Riyadh, renews criticism of Saudi rights abuses

Canada adds fuel to diplomatic tensions with Saudi Arabia, renewing its criticism of the kingdom’s human rights violations amid reports of a plan by Riyadh to behead an imprisoned female activist.

In a statement, the office of the Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland voiced concern about the situation of jailed human rights activist Israa al-Ghomgham who, along with five other activists, faces the death penalty.

“As Minister Freeland has previously stated, Canada is extremely concerned by the arrests of women’s rights activists,” Canada’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Adam Austen said Tuesday, adding “These concerns have been raised with the Saudi government.”

“Canada will always stand up for the protection of human rights, including women’s rights and freedom of expression around the world,” said the spokesperson.

The Ottawa-Riyadh tensions initially broke out earlier this month after the Canadian Embassy in Riyadh tweeted that it was “gravely concerned” over a spike in the arrests of human rights campaigners in the kingdom and called on “Saudi authorities to immediately release them and all other peaceful #humanrights activists.”

Angered by the tweet, Riyadh expelled Canada’s ambassador and ordered home many students studying in the North American state.

The kingdom has also suspended all flights to and from Canada, halted their trade with the country, and ordered its patients receiving treatment there to go elsewhere by the next month.

Canada has, however, refused to back down.

PressTV-Canada says won't withdraw Saudi rights criticism

Canada says it won’t back down on its criticism of human rights conditions in Saudi Arabia despite the ensuing tension.

Al-Ghomgham from the Qatif region in the kingdom’s oil-rich Eastern Province has been behind bars for 32 months.

She recently appeared in the Specialized Criminal Court (SCC) in the capital, Riyadh. Rights groups said the public prosecutor is seeking death penalty for six defendants, including Ghomgham and her husband Moussa al-Hashem, who were arrested in a house raid by Saudi regime forces on December 8, 2015.

According to the Human Rights Watch al-Ghomgham, along with the other activists, is being tried by the country’s terrorism tribunal on charges “solely related to their peaceful activism.”

The European Saudi Organization for Human Rights (ESOHR) has said “the call of the public prosecution for a death sentence for the detainee is a dangerous indicator that the trial outcome will lead to a death penalty sentence being issued.”

The final hearing in Ghomgham’s trial will be held on October 28, when a judge will either confirm or overturn the death penalty. If delivered, it will mark the first time a female activist is executed in Saudi Arabia for political activities.

Ghomgham, a Shia Muslim, came on government radars during 2011 protests in Qatif, which demanded an end to discrimination against Shia Muslims and the release of political prisoners.

Saudi Arabia is subjected to criticisms for executions. According to Human Rights Watch, Saudi beheaded 48 people in the last 4 months, most of whom faced non-violent drug charges.

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