Saudi police arrest blogger

BLOGGER ARRESTED: Fouad Al Farhan (centre) was detained early December for violation of 'non-security regulations'. (ordoesitexplode.com)

Authorities in Saudi Arabia have detained a popular blogger for violating “non-security regulations” in what is believed to be the first arrest of an online critic in the kingdom.

Fouad Al Farhan, a 32-year-old from Jeddah, was detained on December 10, according to statements by senior officials quoted in Saudi daily Arab News.

Major General Monsour Al Turki told the newspaper that Farhan was being questioned by the Interior Ministry, but did not give details of the arrest.

Farhan’s blog - Searching for freedom, dignity, justice, equality, shoura and all the rest of lost Islamic values - has since posted a letter, allegedly from Farhan, which states he believes he was arrested because he “wrote about political prisoners in Saudi Arabia”.

Farhan said that officials had tried to make him sign a letter of apology but he refused. He said he was targeted because he wrote about political prisoners that he believed to be wrongly incarcerated.

“An apology for what?” his letter reads. “Apologising because I said the government is [a] liar when it accused those people of supporting terrorism.”

Other popular bloggers said they believe Farhan’s arrest was an attempt by authorities to intimidate the online community.

Farhan’s family has sought help from the government's Human Rights Commission, the newspaper reported.

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READERS' COMMENTS

Blogger arrest: Human what?
Posted by Jerry, Dubai on Thursday 3 January 2008 at 11:37 UAE time

"....government's Human Rights Commission,...."
This is strange. Does Saudi Arabia have any human rights at all? Forget about having a commission.

Saudi Patriot's Ishtihad
Posted by T Crowe Semler, Fayetteville AR, USA on Thursday 3 January 2008 at 07:18 UAE time


"Dissent is the highest form of Patriotism" Fouad Al Farhan is "searching for freedom, dignity, justice, equality, shoura and all the rest of lost Islamic values". Ishtihad is an important Islamic concept which allows for flexability. Scholars of Islam are re-awakening to this "lost Islamic value". We can argue that Ishtihad is one of the most important concepts for Islams new enlightenment which allows for the growth of Islam and true Islamic values. As a Muslim college professor in the US I have practiced Ishtihad especially when my international Muslim students, from much more conservative countries, face the social challenges of a new society. I understand Fouad's quest for Ishtihad as it relates to the laws of Saudi Arabia. Saudis are a great people with a noble Islamic heritage. Ishtihad is the scholarly form of Islamic enlightenment and patriotism. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia should defend this young man not incarcerate him. We Muslims should be proud of his great courage and support his Ishtihad. T Crowe O'Rourke Semler

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