Two lawyers accused of criticizing the Saudi government including the Ministry of Justice failed to turn up at their disciplinary hearing here recently, according to a local media report.

A source said that a third accused had asked for more time to prepare for the hearing held by a committee known as a “Disciplinary Board” set up by the Justice Ministry. The committee consists of a judge and two experts, one of whom is a lawyer.

A legal source said the lawyers who failed to turn up risk giving up the opportunity to offer a defense to the allegations. The committee could issue a verdict against them by assuming they had waived the right to defend themselves.

Article 32 of the code states that the “Disciplinary Board may require his personal appearance, and if he fails to appear after having been summoned twice, the board may issue an ex parte decision.”

He said that the lawyers need not have appeared in person at the committee and could have appointed legal representation to do so.

He said the Kingdom’s code of conduct for lawyers stipulates several penalties for those who violate the law. Under Article 29, these include a warning, reprimand, suspension from practicing for a period not exceeding three years, having their names struck from the ministry’s list of practicing lawyers, or having their licenses revoked.

The code stipulates that the transgression would cover any act that violates its provisions or its implementing regulations, or if a lawyer “commits a breach of his professional duties, or any act that may be incompatible with professional standards.”

The source said that if a lawyer is struck off the roll, the decision is sent to the courts and the Board of Grievances as notification that he or she is not allowed to practice. A lawyer in this position has 60 days to file an appeal.

The three lawyers are accused of using Twitter to defame the government including the Justice Ministry, security apparatus and foreign affairs policy. They allegedly ridiculed services offered to citizens and weakened public trust in government bodies.

They allegedly undermined the judiciary by publicly criticizing rulings by some judges. They also allegedly encouraged other lawyers to do the same. They also published several tweets that allegedly ridiculed the Kingdom’s relations with some Arab countries.

A preliminary committee looking into violations of the country’s media laws fined the three over SR1.2 million and banned them from publishing any material.