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Saudi Arabia: A famous Saudi blogger taken in detention
Fouad El Farahan should be set free immediately
Cairo, December 24, 2007
The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information stated today that the Saudi authority should reveal the reasons behind taking the famous Saudi blogger Fouad El Farhan in detention, and the reasons behind kidnapping him from his job premise two weeks ago, namely on December 10, 2007, which is the world human rights day.
The Saudi security services came through the office of Fouad El Farhan in “Smart Info Co.” in Jeddah and took him to an unknown place without stating the reasons behind taking him . Fouad El Farhan was not set free till now, however it is usual for the Saudi security to set the bloggers free after few days of detention. The Saudi bloggers are playing a crucial role in supporting the peaceful reformation in Saudi Arabia.
Al Farhan is one of the most significant Saudi and Arabian bloogers, he is known as the dean of Saudi bloggers. His writings found in his blog www.alfarhan.org are serious ones and supporting reformation. The slogan of his blog says “Searching for freedom, dignity, justice, equality, Shura and all the remaining Islamic values which are missing.. for Raghad and Khitab ( the names of his daughters).
It is noteworthy that Saudi authorities are harassing Saudi bloggers from time to time and are arresting most of them like the Saudi blogger “Sargon Matar”. Moreover many Saudi blogs were banned like Saudi "Hawa" blog.
Many Saudi activists thought that the Saudi security services would free Al Farhan on Al Adha feast but it did not happen. Two weeks without freeing Al Farhan or revealing the reasons or the place of detention is rising fears and worries about Al Farhan upon whom pressures might be exercised for his frank and obvious support for the Saudi reformers. Al Farhan is know of his call for supporting reformation as a means of confronting terrorism.
Gamal Eid, the executive director of the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information, said, “Many question marks are put around the real Saudi stance about terrorism”. “When the Saudi authorities arrest a young man writing maturely and is against terrorism and calls for reformation, it is a serious indicator for how far are the fanatic and those opposing freedom of expression and reformation are taking over in Saudi Arabia”, Mr. Gamal added.
Ahmad Fouad Al Farhan, 32 years old a father of two daughters “ Raghad and Khitab” works as a manager at “Smart Info Co.,” in Jeddah. He has an M.A degree in IT from the United States. His outstanding writings in his blog bearing his name gave him a fame and respect among Saudi and Arab bloggers.
The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information condemns arresting Al Farhan and the unjustified detention in an unknown place. In the same time the Network stresses that nothing at all can justify arresting Al Farhan or any other citizen without a legal evidence and reasons of such detention. The declared stances of Saudi authorities should get aligned with its actual practices.
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