Saudi Hypocrisy Online
| May 24, 2012 |
A Saudi-American tweeter known as “Arabeya” recently posted a tweet addressing Saudi Arabian hypocrisy. While the country's authorities arrest almost anyone who dares to speak out against civil and human rights violations, the government attempts to portray itself as a key defender of freedom and democracy abroad.
Arabeya @Ana3rabeya
Today, #Saudi Ambassador in #Egypt said Peaceful Protest is a Right. Yet at home, @dr_ahmad_ghamdi is arrested for a few tweets.
While the Saudi media supports calls for freedom and justice in most crisis-shaken Arabic countries like Syria, Egypt, and Libya, they fail to address their own domestic political repression.
Stations like Al Arabiya issue updated reports on demonstrations in Syria, but entirely ignored protests in the Saudi governorate of Qatif, where protesters called for the death of the ruling Al Saud family. Newspapers like Assharq Alawsat and Al Hayat took up the cause of demanding democracy and freedom for all Arabic countries except Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia continues to imprison activists who express views that are often counter to the Kingdom’s, on platforms like Twitter or Facebook. Hamza Kashgari, the Saudi journalist who was arrested in February and charged with blasphemy for tweets considered to be offensive to the Prophet Mohammed, may face the death penalty.
Arabeya @Ana3rabeya
Today, #Saudi Ambassador in #Egypt said Peaceful Protest is a Right. Yet at home, @dr_ahmad_ghamdi is arrested for a few tweets.
While the Saudi media supports calls for freedom and justice in most crisis-shaken Arabic countries like Syria, Egypt, and Libya, they fail to address their own domestic political repression.
Stations like Al Arabiya issue updated reports on demonstrations in Syria, but entirely ignored protests in the Saudi governorate of Qatif, where protesters called for the death of the ruling Al Saud family. Newspapers like Assharq Alawsat and Al Hayat took up the cause of demanding democracy and freedom for all Arabic countries except Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia continues to imprison activists who express views that are often counter to the Kingdom’s, on platforms like Twitter or Facebook. Hamza Kashgari, the Saudi journalist who was arrested in February and charged with blasphemy for tweets considered to be offensive to the Prophet Mohammed, may face the death penalty.
