Checks and Balances: Saudi Style

Reporters without Borders (RSF) joined other leading nonprofit organizations in their call on the Saudi government for the release Rabah Al-Quwai.

RSF criticized the continuing detention of Al-Quwai without any legal charge: “We also deplore the lack of transparency in this case. No one knows what he has been charged with. He has not been allowed to receive a visit from a lawyer or his family although he has been held for more than a week.”

This is not the first time this courageous writer had a brush with hard-liners and fanatics:

Al-Quwai received death threats last November over website articles that were considered too liberal. He wrote that Islam was interpreted in too strict a fashion in Saudi Arabia and that this had contributed to Al-Qaeda’s popularity there. Someone smashed the windscreen of his car, leaving a note saying : “Next time it will be you.” The police never investigated this incident.

I predict that, based on previous patterns of arrests (which are many), Al-Quwai will be detained for another week or two, forced to sign statements where he denounces his writings and promises that he will never ever dare to commit such a hideous crime (writing freely) then he will be released (and monitored closely). If he refuses to cooperate though, he will be detained for about a period of six months without a formal trial, then, he will be tried by an honest and God-fearing judge who will make sure to deliver the appropriate sentence and, through this whole process, keep everyone else in check.

Comments

[Ahmed]

Alien,

Even though I have read many of Mr. Rabah articles in the net which I don't really like .. and in the same time I am not yet sure what shall be the way to react to such writtings .. but as usual people get to jail in Saudi Arabia just for saying what they think.. and only think !
While many others who defend the terrorist in Saudi Arabia don't get such punishment!

but in the same time I can see what you predicted happening because from one side it keeps people thinking in the same old way .. that the Govertment is nice to those who say bad things and can forgive them ! and in the same time it emphasizes the fact that we are not a country of law .. but of favores and gifts from the Govt. to its people!

[Aya]

Excellent comment Ahmed!

You know, although I didn’t read any of Al-Quwai's writings, I do believe in his right to freely publish his opinions and writings.

Let's wait and see what will happen with him. It is only the beginning of his story.