Attacks on the Press 2006: Analysis: As Democracy Falters, Arab Press Still Pushes for Freedom
Across the Middle East, political reform gained momentum in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States and the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003. Egyptiansand Lebanese clamored for democracy; elections in Iraq, Palestine, Yemen, and Saudi Arabia offered a more pluralistic future. In a number of Arab countries, the…
Attacks on the Press 2006: Saudi Arabia
SAUDI ARABIA Prompted by post-9/11 criticism that Saudi Arabia’s closed society had bred violent religious extremism, the government has eased constraints on the country’s heavily censored domestic press, and local journalists have seized the initiative to produce more daring reports on crime, drug trafficking, unemployment, and religious extremism. But progress has been uneven and limited,…
Saudi journalist, accused of un-Islamic writings, is freed
New York, April 20, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the release of Saudi journalist Rabah al-Quwai’, who was held for 13 days in retaliation for his writings about religious extremism. Al-Quwai’, a writer for the daily Shams, said he was compelled to sign a statement saying that he had denigrated Islamic beliefs in his…
Saudi journalist detained for writings
New York, April 7, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply concerned about the ongoing detention of a Saudi journalist who has been held for five days in retaliation for his writings about religious extremism. Rabah al-Quwai’, who writes for the Saudi dailies Okaz and Shams and contributes to the Saudi-run Web sites Dar al-Nadwa…