[6] In the same year, the court held trial sessions of human rights activists, including co-founder Mohammed Saleh al-Bejadi of the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association (ACPRA)[5] and Mubarak Zu'air, a lawyer for long-term prisoners,[2] and Khaled al-Johani, who spoke to BBC Arabic Television at a protest in Riyadh,[7][8][9] thus becoming known as "the bravest man in Saudi Arabia".
[2] On 26 June 2011, the Specialized Criminal Court started hearing charges against 85 people including "possessing explosives, missiles, military weapons, and chemical materials and smuggling said items into the country for terrorist acts on behalf of al-Qaeda".
[3] In September 2011, 38 Saudi citizens and three others suspected of being involved in al-Qaeda appeared in the Specialized Criminal Court on charges including "training in militant camps in Pakistan, fighting in Iraq [with] Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, financing terrorism, transporting weapons, forging documents, inciting militants to fight in Iraq and [harbouring] suspected [terrorists]".
On 22 November 2011, the 16 were convicted in the Specialized Criminal Court of "forming a secret organization, attempting to seize power, incitement against the King, financing terrorism, and money laundering" and given sentences of 5–30 years, to be followed by travel bans.
[11] Amnesty International judged the trials to be "grossly unfair", said that there were "allegations of torture and other ill-treatment in pre-trial detention",[11] and that "at least some of those sentenced are prisoners of conscience".
[4] Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association (ACPRA) co-founder[12] Mohammed Saleh al-Bejadi, arrested on 21 March 2011,[13] appeared in the Specialized Criminal Court in August 2011 for "insurrection against the ruler, instigating demonstrations, and speaking with foreign [media] channels.
[5] Mubarak Zu'air, a lawyer supporting long-term prisoners, was arrested on 20 March 2011, a day after an interview on the topic with Minister of Interior, Nayef, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia.