October 04, 2004

Reformers on Trial in Saudi Arabia

In a MPJ exclusive, Dr. Rusty Shackleford discusses the trial of three Saudi dissidents arrested for calling for more openness in the Kingdom. Yesterday, a Saudi court ordered further proceedings against the activists closed to the public [story here]. Dr. Shackleford's reaction:

"I am shocked that the Saudi court would close further proceedings to the public. Saudi Arabia has a long-standing tradition of fair, free, and open trials. The Kingdom has long been known for it's progressive stance on a variety of issues. This move is a step back for the Saudi government. It's almost like they want to return to some Midievel society or something."

Posted by: Rusty at 08:44 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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1 HAHAHAHAHAAHA Thanks for the laugh.

Posted by: Saney at October 04, 2004 09:45 AM (wp2V9)

2 Sorry, no laughing from me. I think you're missing the point on this story. The fact that the Saudi media is reporting that the hearings are being closed is a big story. They are reporting that the gov't is transgressing. That, in itself, is far beyond where the Saudis or their media were as little as four years ago. Yeah, there's still lots of room for improvement. But progress is being made.

Posted by: John at October 04, 2004 01:17 PM (OmbAg)

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