Gulf | Saudi Arabia
48-hour fast planned in several Saudi cities
A group of Saudi activists is planning the country's first public hunger strike to draw attention to the detention without charge of a dozen political reformists.
- Los Angeles Times-Washington Post
- Published: 23:26 November 2, 2008
Jeddah: A group of Saudi activists is planning the country's first public hunger strike to draw attention to the detention without charge of a dozen political reformists.
The participants, who include lawyers, university students and relatives of the detained, could face arrest for their protest in the kingdom.
The 48-hour strike is planned in several Saudi cities on Thursday and Friday of this week. Organisers said they are demanding that the government grant the prisoners fair and public trials or set them free.
"To the government, we want to say that you can't put prisoners of conscience in jail without facing consequences," said Walid Abu Al Khair, a writer and lawyer in Jeddah. "And to the activists, we want to say, you are not alone. We want to show that when you put human rights activists in jail, a new wave will come and take their place."
Although the state-controlled media have not reported on the strike, it has gained attention online through bloggers and announcements posted to Facebook and Google groups.
"This act of peaceful protest is the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia, and I believe this is the least we can do for those people," wrote Ahmad Al Omran, who blogs as Saudi Jeans. "Please join the call and spread the word."
Saudi Arabia bans demonstrations, political parties and civic organisations. The reformists were jailed for various reasons, including organising protests.
In their online announcements, the strike organisers urged "all activists and citizens who have a conscience" to show "solidarity with all detainees, whose basic rights have been violated."
"We announced the names of 26 additional participants on Wednesday," said Fowzan Al Harbi, an engineer. "Five more have joined us, but the final list will be announced next week."
Defending rights
The strikers will remain at home without food or water on the designated days, organisers said.
Mohammad Al Qah'tani, a Riyadh-based college professor who also hosts a television show, said he was excited about participating.
"This is the first time something like this happens in Saudi Arabia. I ask my friends to pinch me to make sure I'm not daydreaming," said Qah'tani, whose wife will also join in the hunger strike. "These people are in prison for defending our rights. And now, it's time for us to defend their rights."
The most prominent of the detained dissidents is Matrouk Al Faleh, who was arrested in May in Riyadh for criticising conditions in the kingdom's jails. In 2003 he was jailed for calling for a constitutional monarchy but was pardoned by King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz when he took the throne in 2005.
Nine of the detainees have been accused of supporting terrorism, but human rights groups say the men were detained for calling for political reform.
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