RIYADH, Aug 9: Three Saudi reformists were formally accused by a court here on Monday of calling for the country to become a constitutional monarchy and questioning the independence of its judicial system.

Ali al Demaini, Matruk al Faleh and Abdullah al Hamed "took up issuing statements and collecting as many signatures as possible on petitions" calling for changes in Saudi Arabia, according to a statement read by the prosecution at the opening of the trial.

They were accused of "calling for adopting a constitutional monarchy and using western terminology" in demanding political reforms, it said. The trio, who have been in detention for nearly five months, also allegedly questioned the judicial system by disputing the 40th chapter of the basic law, which states "the king is the head of the judicial authority".

"They (defendants) consider this as interference in the judicial system," the statement added. The three men, who sat on the front bench of a packed court room, requested two weeks to study the accusations before entering their pleas.

Matruk Faleh, a lecturer at King Saud University, said before the session began that the three had not been officially informed of the trial, but only heard through unofficial channels on Sunday they would have to appear in court.

He said the three had not been granted access to their lawyers until a month-and-a-half ago, adding that their treatment in detention has been "OK". -AFP