Saudi youths stage anti-regime rally

Saudi youths stage a rally in the kingdom's Eastern Province to condemn the regime's brutal crackdown on the protesters inside the country as well as its military invasion of neighboring Bahrain. Rallying in the province's town of Sawfa, the protesters chanted slogans against the ruling Al Saud family. The Eastern Province has been a scene of numerous anti-regime demonstrations since the beginning of 2011, with the outraged public urging implementation of human rights reforms, realization of freedom of expression, and release of political prisoners. Saudi troops, together with forces from the United Arab Emirates, invaded Bahrain on March 14, 2011 to assist the Bahraini government in its quelling peaceful popular protests in the Persian Gulf island. On March 5, 2011, the Saudi Interior Ministry called all public gatherings 'illegal,' authorizing regime forces “to take all measures needed” against the people, who would defy the ban. According to Amnesty International, more than 300 people have been detained for taking part in peaceful demonstrations in the province since March. Saudi activists say there are more than 30,000 political prisoners, mostly prisoners of conscious, in jails across the kingdom. According to human rights campaigners, most of the detained political thinkers are being held without trial or legitimate charges and have been arrested on grounds of mere suspicion. The implementation of the suppressive measures, however, has failed to dishearten the protesters.