Atheists Classified As Terrorists Under New Saudi Arabian Laws
Source: Huffington Post UK
Atheists are being defined as terrorists under a raft of new Saudi Arabian laws, a report from Human Rights Watch states.
The new laws are accompanied by a series of related royal decrees which appear to criminalise virtually all dissident thought or expression as terrorism.
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Regulations from the Interior Ministry cite terrorism provisions to include: Calling for atheist thought in any form, or calling into question the fundamentals of the Islamic religion on which this country is based.
Those who swear allegiance to any party, organisation, current of thought, group or individual inside or outside the kingdom are also included in the provisions. The Muslim Brotherhood and various Al Qaeda factions are also among those on the list.
The new laws have largely been brought in to combat the growing number of citizens travelling to Syria to take part in the civil war, the Independent writes.
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Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/04/02/atheists-classified-terrorists-new-saudi-arabian-laws_n_5075129.html
hobbit709
(41,694 posts)warrant46
(2,205 posts)It's getting harder to see which Lunatics are in Charge of the Asylum
bananas
(27,509 posts)Saudi royal decree: Atheism is terrorism
New law, said by rights group to silence peaceful critics, targets both Islamists and unbelievers
By Yifa Yaakov April 1, 2014, 11:35 pm
Saudi Arabia has criminalized atheism as terrorism in a new law and a series of royal decrees turning almost any critical expression or independent association into crimes of terrorism, according to Human Rights Watch.
The campaign, which the rights group says is intended to silence peaceful activists, creates a legal framework criminalizing virtually all dissident thought or expression as terrorism.
<snip>
The January 31 Penal Law for Crimes of Terrorism and its Financing, known as the terrorism law, stipulates that an act committed within Saudi Arabia does not have to be violent to be considered an act of terrorism. Instead, any act intended to insult the reputation of the state, harm public order, or shake the security of society can be considered a terrorist act.
<snip>
Anyone who aids, contacts, corresponds with or shows sympathy for terrorist organizations and associations including, apparently, atheists on social media, websites or any other platform is considered a terrorist.
Commenting on Article 6 of the decree, one activist told Human Rights Watch, Just talking to you now is considered terrorism I could be prosecuted as a terrorist for this conversation.
ck4829
(34,974 posts)From the same article, nearly a quarter of Saudis are non-religious and five percent are atheist.
Both of those numbers are going to keep growing and it is going to get to the point where the fundamentalist version of Islam that Saudi Arabia's social policy is based on is going to have very little legitimacy.
nilesobek
(1,423 posts)at the local university just want weed and chicks, not primitive skygod madness.
VWolf
(3,944 posts)KansDem
(28,498 posts)I befriended one family who introduced me to a fellow from Saudi Arabia. He was traveling through Europe as a student.
After he left their house, the family told me that young men from the Mideast like to come to Europe to "have fun." They can't get laid at home due to the religiosity so they come to Europe.
Doctor_J
(36,392 posts)Thinkingabout
(30,058 posts)Red states to start passing their laws, to name those who may not look the same as terrorists, those of certain religions or atheist groups as terrorist. RW groups call our President a Muslim so they will include anyone they think they can bully.
Heather MC
(8,084 posts)We have to protect Matt Dillahunty and all the Members of the Atheist Community of Austin
Thinkingabout
(30,058 posts)Except Republican Tealibans.
bemildred
(90,061 posts)I have to say this sounds downright Russian, too, or the Russians sound downright Saudi, or whatever. Having blasphemy be a crime is so medieval.
Javaman
(62,439 posts)seveneyes
(4,631 posts)I don't recently recall the Vatican declaring non-believers to be terrorists. What gives with Saudi Arabia?
KittyWampus
(55,894 posts)bananas
(27,509 posts)Saudis charge three over allegedly seditious tweets -paper
RIYADH, April 1 Tue Apr 1, 2014 11:11am EDT
(Reuters) - Three Saudi Arabian men have been charged over comments they made on Twitter, the first such cases since a decree imposed long jail terms for supporting extremist groups, a local newspaper reported on Tuesday.
The three have been accused of sedition, incitement and breaching obedience to the king, the newspaper al-Eqtisadiah reported on its website.
It said the men were the first to be charged under the terms of a February royal decree, which set out prison sentences for anybody who went abroad to fight, incited others to do so, or gave material or moral support to extremist groups.
<snip>
Three young men were detained in recent days for posting online films complaining about living standards and attacking the ruling family, said an activist who spoke with members of their families.
<snip>
bunnies
(15,859 posts)carla
(553 posts)the belief that ALL Saudi Royals are terrorists. Atheists will win this fight because reason triumphs over bullshit and such laws are meant to paper over the fact that disobedience against such a corrupt regime is moral and just. Fuck the House of Saud! Don't forget, they are just the Bush Clan in white robes/without the pointy hoods.
Gore1FL
(21,030 posts)LeftishBrit
(41,190 posts)I hate theocracy.
warrior1
(12,325 posts)Aristus
(66,082 posts)n/t
SunSeeker
(51,367 posts)Laelth
(32,017 posts)-Laelth
Nye Bevan
(25,406 posts)What a stupid, backward country they are.
grahamhgreen
(15,741 posts)warrant46
(2,205 posts)Priceless
DeSwiss
(27,137 posts)...that they'll be severing diplomatic relations with all ''Christian'' countries now? I mean since they're saying that anyone is a terrorist for espousing beliefs that calls the ''fundamentals of Islam'' into question. Christianity certainly does that.
- I'm sure they'll make an exception for non-believers that sell them their weapons though......
K&R
Arugula Latte
(50,566 posts)in the name of non-belief for centuries, so maybe these Saudis are on to something.
Oh, wait. That was religion. I'm thinking of religion.