Local Editor

Israa al-Ghomgham, the first female human rights activist to face a possible death penalty for non-violent protest in Saudi Arabia, is due to appear in the country's secretive “anti-terrorism” court on October 28.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's crackdown on dissent is attracting fresh attention following the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and rights groups are worried about al-Ghomgham's fate resting with the Specialized Criminal Court [SCC], which has a history of unfair trials resulting in death sentences.

However, the SCC was created in 2008 to hear cases against people accused of terrorism.

Around 2010, conversely, the government started using the court to try protesters and, eventually, human rights advocates, international human rights lawyer Oliver Windridge tells CBS News.

Al-Ghomgham has been in detention since 2015, when she was arrested for non-violent activism.

She has appeared in court once since then, when the charges against her were presented. The United Nations says she has been denied access to a lawyer.

According to official court documents obtained by CBS News, al-Ghomgham is facing multiple charges which include:

• Participating in marches meant to "incite strife;"

• "Providing moral support to rioters" by attending a protester's funeral;

• Using a false identity to create a Facebook profile;

• Traveling to Iran to "receive theoretical lessons on how to stir strife and disturbance in Saudi Arabia."

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team