Monday, March 31, 2014

Saudi Arabia: Three held over criticising government on YouTube

Saudi authorities have arrested three citizens who posted YouTube videos urging the oil-rich kingdom to improve their living standards and criticising “corruption”, activists said on Sunday.
The arrests were made on Saturday, the day US President Barack Obama flew home from Saudi Arabia under fire for not having done more to raise human rights concerns during talks with King Abdullah, activists said.
In one video, a young man identifying himself as Abdulaziz Mohammed al-Dosari addressed King Abdullah saying he has to survive on a low income, and does not own a house or a car.
“We are fed up, and you still blame those who carry out bombings,” the man says, urging the king to give Saudis money to improve their lives.
“Give us our money… we do not want to beg… You and your children are playing with this money,” he said about Saudi’s oil wealth in the 30-second video during which he held up his identification card.
In another video, a man identifying himself as Abdullah bin Othman charged that “corruption is widespread” in Saudi Arabia while “people are hungry and oppressed.”

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