JournalismPakistan.com | Published March 28, 2016
Join our WhatsApp channel
DUBAI - Saudi Arabia has sentenced a journalist to five years in jail for insulting the kingdom's rulers and "inciting public opinion" on Twitter, Amnesty International said.
Amnesty described the sentencing of Alaa Brinji on Thursday as "a clear violation of international law" and said it showed intolerance of the right to peaceful expression.
Officials at Saudi Arabia's Justice Ministry could not be reached for comment over the weekend.
Against the background of regional turmoil, the ultra conservative Sunni Muslim country has issued tougher penalties against all forms of dissent.
The sentencing against Brinji, who worked for Saudi Arabian newspapers al-Bilad, Okaz and al-Sharq, came after a guilty verdict on March 24, Amnesty said.
It said the court had also found Brinji guilty of ridiculing Islamic religious figures and of making accusations against "security officers of killing protestors in Awamiyah" – an area in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province.
The Eastern Province has been the focal point of unrest among the country's Shi'ites since protests in early 2011 calling for an end to discrimination against the minority sect and for reforms in the Sunni Muslim monarchy.
Amnesty, which said it had information from a source with knowledge of the case, said the court on Thursday also handed Brinji an eight-year travel ban and a fine of 50,000 riyals ($13,300).
Brinji was arrested in May 2014 and has been in detention since, according to Amnesty. He had also been accused of apostasy - abandoning his Muslim faith - a crime which carries the death penalty but was not convicted of this due to a lack of evidence, Amnesty said.- Reuters
April 11, 2025: Sindhi journalist AD Shar was brutally murdered in Khairpur, Sindh. His body was found dumped on Handiyari Link Road. PFUJ has declared a three-day mourning period and demanded justice.
April 10, 2025: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir government has filed a case against The Daily Jammu & Kashmir and its staff for alleged fake news, drawing condemnation from PFUJ and IFJ, who demand immediate withdrawal of the FIR and an end to media repression in Pakistan.
April 08, 2025: Journalist Arzoo Kazmi alleges that Pakistan's state agencies, including the FIA, have blocked her CNIC, passport, and bank account while threatening her. She calls it a direct attack on journalism.
April 07, 2025: The Islamabad High Court has directed IG Islamabad to produce journalist Ahmad Noorani’s missing brothers, as the Ministry of Defence denies custody. SIM activity was traced in Bahawalpur, and investigations into their suspected abduction continue.
April 07, 2025: Journalist and Raftar founder Farhan Mallick has been granted bail by a Karachi court in a case concerning anti-state content aired on his YouTube channel. He still faces separate charges related to an alleged illegal call center and data theft.
April 03, 2025: Veteran journalist Ghulam Abbas Shah has joined Discover Pakistan Television as the Head of Programming. With 25 years of experience in leading news organizations, he looks forward to contributing to quality storytelling and content.
April 02, 2025: The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has strongly condemned the visit of a group of Pakistani journalists to Israel, calling it a violation of journalistic ethics and a betrayal of press freedom and human rights. PFUJ demands a transparent investigation into the matter.
March 30, 2025: Dawn criticizes Pakistan’s plan to use TV dramas against extremism, highlighting financial and digital challenges. Can media alone solve deep-rooted issues?
April 03, 2025 The International Press Institute (IPI) and International Media Support (IMS) invite nominations for the 2025 World Press Freedom Hero and Free Media Pioneer Awards. Recognizing courageous journalists and innovative media, the awards will be presented at IPI’s 75th-anniversary World Congress in Vienna. Submit your nominations by April 30, 2025.
April 01, 2025 Photojournalist Suresh Rajak was burned alive while covering a violent protest in Kathmandu. The IFJ and its affiliates condemn the attack and call for an urgent investigation to hold the perpetrators accountable.
April 01, 2025 Assam Police arrested digital journalist Dilwar Hussain Mozumder for covering a protest against alleged corruption at Assam Co-Operative Bank. Media organizations have condemned the arrest, calling it an attack on press freedom.
March 29, 2025 A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to dismantle Voice of America (VOA), ruling that the move likely violated legal procedures. The decision protects over 1,200 journalists and media staff.
March 28, 2025 Turkey deports BBC journalist Mark Lowen over 'public order' threat and fines opposition TV channels covering Istanbul Mayor's arrest. Critics condemn crackdown on press freedom amid rising political tensions.