One convict set up a ‘terrorist’ network in prison while others labelled Saudi government officials ‘non-believers’.

A Saudi Arabian court convicted 38 people on Tuesday of financing “terrorism” and declaring other Muslims as non-believers, handing out sentences ranging from 30 months to 25 years.

One of those sentenced had set up a “terrorist organisation” while in prison and others committed takfir – labelling followers as non-believers – against the Saudi government, Muslim scholars and security forces, state-run Al Ekhbariya television reported.

In 2017, the oil-rich kingdom launched a crackdown on dissent, arresting scores of leaders, intellectuals and activists. Some have been put on trial for terrorism-related charges.

In April, Saudi Arabia beheaded 37 men for alleged crimes. The United Nations human rights chief said most were Shia Muslims who may not have had fair trials and at least three were minors when sentenced.

Riyadh has come under mounting international scrutiny over its human rights record since the grisly killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in October 2018, and the detention of women’s rights activists who are still on trial.

Armed uprising

Al Ekhbariya did not give the nationalities or names of those convicted out of the 41 people in total on trial, nor did the TV channel provide details about when they were arrested.

It said the specialist criminal court in Riyadh, which was set up to try terrorism cases, sentenced one man to 25 years, another to 20 years and a third to 15 years. The rest received sentences ranging from 2.5 years to 12.5 years.

The convictions can be appealed.

Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy where public protests and political parties are banned.

It faced an armed uprising from 2003-06 when al-Qaeda members staged attacks on residential compounds and government facilities.

The kingdom responded by arresting thousands of suspected fighters and launching a media campaign to discredit their ideology.