Saudis hold anti-regime demo in Qatif

A large number of Saudi Arabians have held a demonstration in the eastern city of Qatif to protest against a deadly attack by government security forces that left an 18-year-old dead.

On Friday, Qatif residents took to the streets to denounce the House of Saud, in defiance of the 22-month crackdown in Eastern Province. In Qatif on Thursday, Ali al-Marar was killed and several others were injured when Saudi security forces in two sports-utility vehicles "indiscriminately" opened fire on demonstrators, who were calling for political and social reforms and the release of political prisoners. Government forces even fired at people on rooftops, according to eyewitness reports. There have been numerous demonstrations in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province since February 2011, with protestors calling for political reform. Anti-government protests have intensified since November 2011, when security forces opened fire on protestors in Qatif, killing five people and leaving scores more injured. Activists say there are over 30,000 political prisoners in Saudi Arabia. In October 2012, Amnesty International called on the Saudi authorities to stop using excessive force against pro-democracy protestors. “The Saudi authorities must end their repeated moves to stifle people’s attempts to protest against the widespread use of arbitrary detention in the country,” Philip Luther, Amnesty International’s director for the Middle East and North Africa, said on October 16. “The right of people to peaceful protest must be respected and the security forces must refrain from detaining or using excessive force against people who exercise it,” he added.