Saudi anti-regime protesters have held fresh demonstrations across Riyadh as well as the holy city of Mecca to protest against the arrest of political prisoners.
Chanting anti-regime slogans on Saturday, the angry protesters demanded the release of political prisoners and the downfall of the US-backed monarchy.
Similar demonstrations were also held against the regime in the village of Awamiyah and the city of Buraydah.
Tensions have been running high in Saudi Arabia's oil-rich Eastern Province over the past weeks following the detention of Saudi Shia cleric Sheikh Nemr al-Nemr.
Press TV has conducted an interview with Kamel Wazni, political analyst, to further discuss the issue. The following is an approximate transcript of the interview.
Press TV: Mr. Wazni, how significant is that these protests have now moved into Riyadh and now Mecca as well?
Wazni: Well obviously the legality of the issue and the merit of the issues indicate it is not the issue of the eastern part of Saudi Arabia, it is actually the issue of the kingdom itself. The policy of the royal family for very long time did not address the needs of the people and the needs of the people now surface with what is taking place around the region.
I think there is widespread corruption within the Saudi monarchy. We know those royal family, the prince and the princess, they receive all the allocation of money out of the sales of oil at the expense of the Saudi population.
I think this movement is resonated very well with real demand and real movement within the Saudi community and the beginning started in the eastern part with the arrest of Sheikh Nemr al-Nemr which should be called on the international community to release him immediately because he was expressing his civil rights which is allowed under the international norm.
But I think the problem, it is getting out of hand for the Saudis and I think it is going to be problematic for the royal family which for very long time tried to dodge the situation.
The level of discrimination that exists in the eastern part actually is spreading to other civil rights issues that actually giving the movement a spirit and I think the Saudis should not crackdown on these demonstrators, that Saudis should look very carefully, the Saudi government, the Saudi monarchy look very careful at what is taking place and to start addressing what is needed-- release all the political prisoners, stop the inhumane treatment of those prisoners especially Sheikh Nemr al-Nemr which has been beaten rapidly according to his family while he is in abduction because this level of hostility should not be exerted in this holy month of Ramadan or any months of the year.
Press TV: Do you see any signs that the Saudi monarchy will honor many of the things that US has spoken about i.e. giving the rights to political prisoners and also to free Sheikh Nemr al-Nemr?
Wazni: I think not any time soon but I think there is kind of dodging for the reality, the Saudis still live in denial, still have the backing of the United States. I think the order from the United States is to continue the crackdown against the peaceful demonstrators as it is the order from the United States to crackdown against the demonstrators in Bahrain.
I think the Saudis while they are pushing their luck in Syria, supporting what is taking [place] in Syria, I think they should address what is taking place inside the Saudi Arabia.
I think the monarchy have to look at the political issue, the economic issue, the social issues of the country but I think the level of demonstrations probably will escalate and I said before that this is a real movement and has a lot of legs and the Saudis will be surprised how magnificent this will be if they do not address the real issue.
Here [is] a situation which requires the attention of the free world and I think the Saudis, they shortened the process by thinking that they can crackdown and this will end.
I am looking at the picture actually and I was looking just like two weeks at the pictures, now there is a huge crowd actually starting to be entering the scene and demanding the change that is required in the Saudi Arabia.
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