Saudi authorities are using a counter-terrorism court as a weapon to systematically silence peaceful opposition in the country, according to a new report by Amnesty International.
The rights group said the kingdom is using the Specialised Criminal Court (SCC) to prosecute mainly Shia Muslims and minorities on charges that often equate peaceful political activities with terrorism.
Since 2011, more than 100 Shia Muslims have been brought before the court, Amnesty said in the report released on Thursday.
The charges used in court proceedings range from "disobeying the ruler", "questioning the integrity of officials and the judicial system" to "inciting disorder" and "forming an unlicensed organisation".
