RIYADH (Dispatches) – The Prisoners of Conscience Twitter account, which reports on political prisoners in Saudi Arabia, has released the latest figures of scholars, intellectuals and activists detained by the Saudi authorities.
According to the account, as many as 60 preachers and scholars, 50 university professors, and more than 10 lawyers have been arrested by the Saudi authorities.
As many as 20 human rights activists are still detained for defending human rights.
The account noted that 25 journalists and 40 writers are in detention, while the number of detained PhD holders has reached 60 people.
The Saudi authorities have not issued any official charges against most of the detainees, but newspapers and media outlets close to the Saudi regime have accused the detainees of working on behalf of foreign parties and seeking to destroy the country.
Since taking office in June 2017, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has launched a large-scale arrest campaign against several human rights activists, journalists, and moderate preachers.
International human rights groups including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have demanded the Saudi authorities immediately disclose the detainees’ whereabouts, allow them to contact their families and lawyers, and to release them immediately.
Saudi officials have also intensified security measures in the Shia-populated and oil-rich Eastern Province.
Eastern Province has been the scene of peaceful demonstrations since February 2011. Protesters have been demanding reforms, freedom of expression, the release of political prisoners, and an end to economic and religious discrimination against the oil-rich region.
The protests have been met with a heavy-handed crackdown by the regime with security forces increasing security measures across the province.
Over the past years, Riyadh has also redefined its anti-terrorism laws to target activism.
In January 2016, Saudi authorities executed Shia cleric, Sheikh Nimr Baqir al-Nimr, who was an outspoken critic of the policies of the Riyadh regime. Nimr had been arrested in Qatif in 2012.

Saudi protesters hold portraits of political prisoners during an anti-regime demonstration in the Qatif