Abdullah al-Hamid
| Abdullah al-Hamid | |
|---|---|
Abdullah al-Hamid second from the right.
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| Born |
12 July 1950 Buraidah |
| Other names | Abu Bilal |
| Known for | Saudi poet, former Arabic professor, human rights activist and a co-founder of the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association |
Abdullah Hamid Ali al-Hamid (عبد الله حامد علي الحامد) or "Abu Bilal" is a Saudi poet, former Arabic professor, human rights activist and a co-founder of the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association (ACPRA). He has been imprisoned several times for supporting the establishment of a constitutional monarchy in Saudi Arabia.
In May 2005, Dr. Abdullah al-Hamid was sentenced to seven years in prison for "showing dissent and disobeying the ruler" after calling for reforms. He was pardoned and released on 8 August 2005.
In 2008, al-Hamid served a four-month prison term for "incitement to protest" after supporting a demonstration of women who were protesting the detention of relatives. [1] The demonstration took place in front of Buraidah prison, in central Saudi Arabia. Demonstrations in Saudi's eastern province by members of the Shiite minority group calling for the release of prisoners have at times turned deadly. [2]
On 1 September 2012 Abdullah al-Hamid appeared in the Specialized Criminal Court together with Mohammad al-Qahtani. Both read their defense statements to the court. The charges against al-Hamid include "spreading chaos, destabilizing public order, attempting to impede development in the country and questioning the integrity of official clerics by accusing them of being tools for the royal family". If convicted, he could face up to five years in prison. Another ACPRA co-founder, Mohammed al-Bajadi, received a four-year jail sentence on similar charges in April.
On 9 March 2013, al-Hamid was sentenced to serve 5 years in prison, as well as to serve 6 years of a previous prison term that had been pardoned by King Abdullah in 2006, according to Abdulaziz Al-Shubaily, an ACRPA member who said he attended the criminal court session in Riyadh. Al-Shubaily reported that the courtroom was "full of journalists, activists, as well as a heavy security presence." Mohammad al-Qahtani was sentenced to 10 years in the same case. [3] The court also ordered the ACRPA to be closed, their funds confiscated, and their social media shut down. [4]
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