Osama Khalid
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A medical student from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, an administrator on the Arabic Wikipedia, and an enthusiast about digital liberties and human rights. @osamakfa on Twitter.
Latest posts by Osama Khalid
15 May 2013
Saudi Mobile Company Seeks Privacy Advocate's Help to Spy on Clients
Saudi Arabia's second largest telecommunication company, Mobily, has reached for a privacy advocate's help to surveil encrypted communication applications. The advocate went public with the request, publishing email exchanges online, and causing an outcry on social media, where Saudi netizens calls for laws to protect people's privacy and punish those spying on the people.
4 May 2013
Saudi Activist Refuses Trial: “I Will Not Tolerate Women Degradation”
The fifth session of the ongoing trial of Dr. Abdulkareem al-Khudar, a co-founder of the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association, was held today; and as in the previous session, the judge continued to refuse to allow women to attend the public trial, saying that they shall stay at home.
24 April 2013
Saudi Judge Bars Women from Trial of Human Rights Activist
Just ten days after the first Saudi woman was granted a lawyer's license, a judge prohibited women from attending the public trial of activist Dr. Abdualkareem al-Khudar, founding member of the Kingdom's defiant leading human rights organisation, the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association (ACPRA).
22 April 2013
Saudis Debate 1,000-Mile Yemen Border Fence
Earlier this month, BBC reported that Saudi Arabia is building a 1,000-mile fence on its border with Yemen. The news was barely reported in Saudi national press, but it was widely and critically reported in Yemeni press. The development was debated tensely in the Saudi Twittersphere. Supporters cited its absolute necessity for the safety of the kingdom while opponents spoke about the tighter siege it will impose on the Yemeni people.
4 April 2013
First Saudi Human Rights Association for Abolishing Execution Launched
Following last month's court ruling to dissolve the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association (ACPRA) and to confiscate its (nonexistent) properties, a group of activists yesterday announced a new independent association called the Union for Human Rights. Among its stated goals, the association is seeking an end to deterrent executions, an issue rarely raised in the kingdom.
9 March 2013
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).
3 March 2013
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.
27 February 2013
Women Protesters Call for the Fall of the Saudi Interior Minister
A group of women and children who are relatives of uncharged prisoners managed to organize a small sit-in in Saudi Arabian city of Buraida, challenging the strict ban on demonstrations in the absolute monarchy. This week's sit-in had an unprecedented, explicit demand: the fall of the Interior Minister.
22 February 2013
Lone Saudi Protester Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison
When a Day of Rage was called for in Saudi Arabia back on March 11, 2011, only a handful of protesters challenged the heavy police presence and protested. Khaled al-Johani was the only one of them on tape. He was arrested on the same day and was held until 25 July, 2012. Many thought that he received a pardon. However, last Monday, the Riyadh Criminal Court held a session to issue the verdict in his case.
20 February 2013
Saudi Arabia: Activist Accuses Judge of Conflict of Interest
Earlier today, February 20th, the first hearing session for Saudi Political and Civil Rights Association (ACPRA) co-founder Dr Abdulkareem al-Khadr was held at Criminal Court in Buraidah. Among his "crimes" are "calling for and inciting to break the law, spread chaos and disturb public tranquility and safety by writing and publishing a statement that calls for protesting in public squares."
The controversy on this is just a very good illustration of frustrations that local artistes...