http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-saudi-protest-20110306,0,3128624.story


Saudi Arabia activists warned that ban on protests will be enforced
In a sign that the ultraconservative kingdom is growing nervous about discontent in its midst and on its borders, Saudi Arabia's Interior Ministry warns that public demonstrations are a violation of Sharia law.

Reporting from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia —

Saudi Arabia warned its few but increasingly emboldened political activists Saturday that it would enforce the law banning public demonstrations, providing fresh evidence of the government's growing nervousness over political unrest among its neighbors and calls for change at home.

Saudi Arabia has remained relatively calm as political upheaval has swept the Middle East and North Africa over the last two months. But discontent is lapping at its borders, most notably in Bahrain and Yemen, stoking concerns that widespread calls for change could occur in the kingdom, a key U.S. ally in the region.

The threat to enforce the demonstration ban comes after members of the country's Shiite Muslim minority staged small protests Friday in the east, calling largely for the release of political prisoners, according to press reports. The east is home of much of the kingdom's oil wealth.

They were the latest in a series of demonstrations over the last few weeks decrying religious and employment discrimination in the Sunni Muslim-led country. The state denies any such bias.

At the same time, groups of intellectuals, liberals and Islamists around the country have signed various petitions asking King Abdullah and the ruling family to implement reforms, including ending religious and gender discrimination and moving toward a constitutional monarchy.

Several thousand people have also joined Facebook groups calling for a "day of rage" in the kingdom, with the earliest protest scheduled for Friday.

In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency, the Interior Ministry said that demonstrations are prohibited "because these contradict the principles of Islamic law (Sharia) and the values and norms of the Saudi society; they further lead to public disorder, harm to public and private interests, breach of the rights of others, and to wreaking havoc that result in bloodshed."

Mohammed Qahtani, co-founder and president of the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Assn., said the clampdown could backfire.

"All channels of peaceful expression are closed," Qahtani said. "This will only serve to increase the frustration in the people."

Hints of the government's tougher line against public criticism could be seen in the last week in the eastern towns of Qatif, Awwamiya and Hofuf. Police presence was heavy at Friday's protests, said journalists covering the events, and at least three Western reporters were detained for several hours afterward.

A week ago, the Shiite cleric Sheik Tawfiq Amer was arrested after giving a sermon in Hofuf calling for fundamental reforms, including adopting a constitutional monarchy. Amnesty International says the cleric is being held incommunicado and may be at "risk of torture or other ill-treatment."

Haven't heard any condemnation from the West yet,

I wonder if this applies to 'Northern Nigeria'?

Na wa. Iran seems to be One of the few middle eastern countries immune so far.

Iran is not immune - although their 'theocracy' remains intact for now.

The only country where protests cannot take place is - Palestine!

^^^

Iran is not a unified country. Some people enjoy their theocracy and their particular democracy works for them. The small urban dwellers want a revolution, but the rural countryside support the Ayatollahs and President Ahmedinijad.

Sun of god:

Iran is not immune - although their 'theocracy' remains intact for now.

The only country where protests cannot take place is - Palestine!

What is wrong about theocracy ?

tpiah!:

Na wa. Iran seems to be One of the few middle eastern countries immune so far.

dont get it iran immuned fyi, the deadly protest in iran over their election last year motivated the current protests in the middle east. not only that, there has been violently suppressed protests too in this past month in iran

Religion and Politics is a deadly combination.

If you do not agree with a policy or political point of view you can be condemned to death in the name of religion.

Its what happening in Iran right now - the opposition all have death warrants issued by the ruling party.

Sun of god:

Religion and Politics is a deadly combination.

If you do not agree with a policy or political point of view you can be condemned to death in the name of religion.

Its what happening in Iran right now - the opposition all have death warrants issued by the ruling party.

There is nothing new under the sun.The Roman catholic church once ruled over Europe.

Foolishness lol. IVC, Libya. . . .they knew they were next.

I'm aware of that.

I think Henry the 8th put an end to that when the church was against him divorcing and marrying another wife.

That's the point where church and state affairs were seperated in europe.

The european monarchy would not answer to the pope as they felt they also had the god given right to rule over the world.

Religion has no business in politics - politics has no business in religion.

Sun of god:

I'm aware of that.

I think Henry the 8th put an end to that when the church was against him divorcing and marrying another wife.

That's the point where church and state affairs were seperated in europe.

The european monarchy would not answer to the pope as they felt they also had the god given right to rule over the world.

Religion has no business in politics - politics has no business in religion.

Gbam!

Unfortunately, that only works for europe and the states.

Ileke-IdI:


Gbam!

Unfortunately, that only works for europe and the states.

Religion plays a huge role in the United States. Especially in the region that you live. I know you have heard of Evangelicals.

Sun of god:

I'm aware of that.

I think Henry the 8th put an end to that when the church was against him divorcing and marrying another wife.

That's the point where church and state affairs were seperated in europe.

The european monarchy would not answer to the pope as they felt they also had the god given right to rule over the world.

Religion has no business in politics - politics has no business in religion.

So no big deal about what is happening in Iran,it's just a deja vu.meanwhile,is democracy the best thing to happen to the world ?

PeeDaVinci:

dont get it iran immuned fyi, the deadly protest in iran over their election last year motivated the current protests in the middle east. not only that, there has been violently suppressed protests too in this past month in iran

you meant tunisia.

MaziUche0:

Religion plays a huge role in the United States. Especially in the region that you live. I know you have heard of Evangelicals.

Give me an example or an instance where religion has recently played a huge role in my region's politics. Like many other factors, religion might influence, but it does not have a final say in any political action being carried out.
If you're talking about the kuran burning day, I'd have you know that it influenced nothing political,  it just caused  an emotional distraught.

However, this sharia (a religion factor) is taking away people's right to protest against any unfavored government action. Shouldnt an  action a government carry out not reflect the thought of a majority and the rights of a minority?

Iran has issues which need to be addressed - namely its theocracy.

However it seems Saudi's dictatorship will be addressed before then and is more important.

Theocracy/Dictatorship/Democracy/Communism/Marxism/Failed State - its all about what the people want.

And it would appear that the Saudi people have had enough of the dictatorship they have been subjected too.

So what America's stance on this?

I think both Bush and Blair claimed god told them to invade Iraq!!!


And they kept using the word 'crusade' in their justification.

@ Topic

It only means the government fears the people coming together will bring it down! The only way to prevent them is to tell them Allah will be very cross with them for protesting! . . and which citizen (muslim or not) wants to protest against Allah ( the Saudi government) and risk his (its) fury . . . . they both seem to have merged into one!

Saudi sharia of the sixth century wont save it from mordern's day way of life

Sun of god:

I think both Bush and Blair claimed god told them to invade Iraq!!!


And they kept using the word 'crusade' in their justification.

Unfortunatey, that's a justication for the Bushs, not for the US of A.

^^^


You should know what I mean.

So what does Sharia law even mean?

I can get some cleric to declare anything I want a violation of Sharia law, and it stands?

What if I control some clerics and get them to declare ice cream a violation of Sharia law? Then no more ice cream, based on this arbitrary whim?

Seems a bad way to run a society, no?

MaziUche0:

^^^


You should know what I mean.

Ileke-IdI:

Bia ka ayi gba ngba.

MaziUche0:

Bia ka ayi gba ngba.

Insulting me, are we?

Ileke-IdI:

Insulting me, are we?

Nope. . .

Arabian madness

eku_bear:

So what does Sharia law even mean?

I can get some cleric to declare anything I want a violation of Sharia law, and it stands?

What if I control some clerics and get them to declare ice cream a violation of Sharia law? Then no more ice cream, based on this arbitrary whim?

Seems a bad way to run a society, no?

+1

the saudi monarchy , by Islamic law etal is illegal

a muslim state that is sincerely following Sharia is supposed to be run by a caliph (typically selected for leadership qualities etal) , not a hereditary monarchy

no big suprise anyway

you can always find /twist stuff in religious literature to justify just about anything.

The West has been shouting that protests should be allowed in Tunisia,Egypt,Bahrain,Yemen,Libya, etc

However nothing has been said about Saudi - Why?

We must all learn to see through the hypocrites and their media propaganda machine.

After the issue of the unelected Saudi royal family is addressed then I hope the British royal family are also banished and disposed of.

Nobody has the god given right to rule - only the people of this earth can decide.

The Saudi scholars saying protesting for reforms in Saudi is aginst the shariah law should simply shut up and ask themselves if the absolute monarchy in Saudi is islamic in the first instance. One family corners the whole country and names it after themselves with the help of the British and this family lords over the whole country´s wealth.

Saud govt IMO is the worst of them all in the middle east and very soon the entire monarchy will run away with their tails in between their legs to their buddies in Washington. Let the will of the people prvail in Saudi. These saudi scholars let us believe consultation and advising is the way according to shariah but have failed to ask themselves if the general pouplace have any say in governance.

May the House of Saud fall very soon , God willing!!!