Growing Divide in Saudi Arabia Between Rulers, Ruled
Saudi Arabia has a diverse arsenal for squashing dissent against the repressive regime, ranging from bribes and government jobs to harassment and long jail sentences. Two moderate activists received 10-year prison sentences for supporting a constitutional monarchy and human rights, reports author Karen Elliott House in an opinion essay for the Washington Post. The Arab Spring has spurred activism even in Saudi Arabia. Mohammad Fahad al-Qahtani, for example, had gathered public support and inspired protests on streets and in social media with his criticism of a crown prince for holding Saudi citizens for long periods without charges and trials, which led to his 10-year prison sentence. House suggests that “growing divisions between the kingdom’s rulers and ruled suggest a tougher tug of war,” and that the international community’s silence will not win friends among Saudi citizens. Harsh penalties for questioning inequities obvious to all will only enrage Saudi citizens and strengthen the resistance. – YaleGlobal
Growing Divide in Saudi Arabia Between Rulers, Ruled
Saudi rulers attempts to squash criticism of unfair laws and sentences only encourage more criticism, protests, activism and resistance
Friday, March 15, 2013
Karen Elliott House, a former publisher of the Wall Street Journal, is most recently the author of “On Saudi Arabia: Its People, Past, Religion, Fault Lines — and Future.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/a-growing-divide-in-saudi-arabia-between-...