PressTV

28th July, 2012

Saudi anti-regime protesters have held fresh demonstrations across Riyadh as well as the holy city of Mecca to protest against the arrest of political prisoners.
Chanting anti-regime slogans on Saturday, the angry protesters demanded the release of political prisoners and the downfall of the US-backed monarchy.

On Friday, Saudi security forces opened fire and injured several demonstrators in the eastern city of Qatif.

Similar demonstrations were also held against the regime in the village of Awamiyah and the city of Buraydah.

Tensions have been running high in Saudi Arabia’s oil-rich Eastern Province over the past weeks following the detention of Saudi Shia cleric Sheikh Nemr al-Nemr.

Sheikh Nemr was attacked, injured, and arrested by Saudi security forces, while driving from a farm to his house in the province’s Qatif region on July 8.

Since February 2011, protesters have held demonstrations on an almost regular basis in Saudi Arabia, mainly in the Qatif region and Awamiyah, also in the Eastern Province, primarily calling for the release of all political prisoners, freedom of expression and assembly, and an end to widespread discrimination.

However, the demonstrations have turned into protests against the Al Saud regime, especially since November 2011, when Saudi security forces killed five protesters and injured many others in the province.

According to Human Rights Watch, the Saudi regime “routinely represses expression critical of the government.”