Brigadier Al Hassan stressed that all marches must be authorized by the Interior Ministry, adding that freedom of expression and opinion in the kingdom are guaranteed by the constitution. Speaking during a press conference he held at the Information Affairs Authority (IAA)’s headquarters, he said that all the recent protests in the kingdom have been illegal, citing the one that followed the funeral of one citizen in Sanabis when security officers intervened and dispersed the protest.
Regarding the Interior Ministry’s strategy in dealing with illegal gatherings, Brigadier Tareq Al Hassan said security officers are instructed to reinforce the law with the least losses possible, stressing that violence is avoided in case of physical contact with protestors.
He also pointed out that the Interior Ministry is keen to avail of clerics’ expertise in raising the awareness of demonstrators for the sake of averting confrontations and ensuring that no harms are caused.
Replying to a question on allegations of torture cases in detention, he affirmed that the Kingdom’s law gives those alleged victims of torture the right to file legal cases against their torturers.
He also indicated that the Directorate of Complaints & Human Rights at the Interior Ministry receives complaints and then refers them to the Directorate of Legal Affairs, affirming that some cases are currently under study.
The Interior Ministry’s Spokesman also called for the need not to exploit children and drag them into demonstrations and gatherings they are not really aware of their goals.
Concerning some media establishments’ exaggerations and exploitation of small-sized demonstrations and claim that there are continuous clashes between the police and protestors, he said that the ministry is trying to debunk those fallacies.
Brigadier Al Hassan also indicated that in cases of unauthorized protests, security forces tend to warn the participants and when they do not comply, they intervene to disperse them.