Stories about Saudi Arabia from March, 2013
Saudi Royal Advisor to Sue Twitter User
On Riyadh Bureau, Ahmed Al Omran writes: A member of the Saudi Shoura Council said today that he is going to sue a conservative writer for attacking him on Twitter. Shoura member Issa al-Ghaith said that “due to the escalation of offenses on Twitter and the necessity of legal action”...
Saudi Arabia Threatens to Block Skype and WhatsApp
Saudi Arabia, an Enemy of the Internet, is threatening to block a number of popular communication tools, such as Skype and mobile messaging service WhatsApp, unless the operating companies agree to infringe on the privacy of users and monitor them.
Saudi Minister Threatens a Twitter User Online
Saudi Arabia's Information and Culture Minister Abdelaziz Khoja allegedly threatened to sue a Twitter user – for insulting him on the microblogging platform. The user called the minister a "remote control" in the hands of those with money and power and the minister responded that he could sue him, if he confessed his name.
US Attorney General Praises Saudi Reforms
US Attorney General Eric Holder Jr. is in the Saudi capital Riyadh – where he praised judicial reforms in the kingdom. On Riyadh Bureau, Ahmed Al Omran writes: The day before Holder’s press conference a Saudi court in Riyadh sentenced two prominent human rights activists to long jail terms and...
The State of Torture in the World in 2013
On January 23, 2013, an excerpt from the annual report of l'ACAT-France, A World of Torture 2013, makes a fresh assessment of the state of torture in the world [fr]: “A report called A World of Torture in 2013, assesses torture practices that continue to be alarming, from Pakistan to...
Saudi Court Sentences Reformists to 10 and 11 Years in Prison
Earlier today, March 9th, the Riyadh Criminal Court issued its verdict against the two prominent reformists and human rights activists Mohammad al-Qahtani and Abdullah al-Hamid, after being prosecuted for “breaking allegiance to the ruler and his successor” and “trying to impede the country’s developments”. al-Qahtani was sentenced to 10 years in prison and al-Hamid was sentenced to 5 years in prison in addition to completing his previous sentence (7 years, released after a year with a royal pardon).
The Conflict in Mali: Who is Fighting Whom, and Why?
Since the bloody conflict in Mali began one year ago, the crisis has evolved in fits and starts, all the while immersed in a historical framework that the mainstream media too often oversimplifies. Here we will try to unpack the complexities of the conflict by putting into context the violent fighting currently engulfing the northern African country.
Saudi Prince: “A Rational Man Would Not Tolerate Women Going to The Streets”
A Saudi Prince said today that a rational man would not tolerate women going to the streets [in protest]. The comments, by the deputy governor of Qassim province Faisal bin Mishal, follow the crackdown on a sit-in by women, who called for the fall of the Saudi Interior Minster last Monday. The women, some with their children, as well as citizens who helped them during their protest, are now under arrest.
