UPDATE 2/12/12 03:09ET: Hamza Kashgari has been deported to Saudi Arabia by Malaysian authorities, several news agencies reported. Malaysian human rights lawyers say they had a judge order to stop the deportation, but by the time they reached the airport the plane already took off. Hamza Kashgari, a young Saudi writer, caused a firestorm when [...]
Author Archives: Ahmed
Saudi Writer Hamza Kashgari Flees Country After Controversy on Twitter
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 – 1:45
Saudi Women Driving: Shifting Gears
Sunday, February 5, 2012 – 19:26
The campaign for women driving has slowed down almost to a halt since the big push last June, but the issue is now making a comeback as activists seek a different route. On Saturday, two women filed lawsuits against the government for refusing to issue them driver’s licenses and banning them from driving a car. [...]
Riding the Wave
Friday, January 6, 2012 – 1:11
For some reason, the government here finds itself compelled to get involved in organizing cultural events even when they suck at it. Why? Maybe because they don’t allow non-governmental organizations that usually play such roles in other countries. Or maybe because they want to keep the matters of arts and culture under control. Anyway, they [...]
On the Statement and Shameless Apologists
Sunday, December 25, 2011 – 20:10
Two stories were the focus of much debate and discussion in Saudi Arabia recently: a) the trial of what the local media likes to call the “Jeddah cell,” a group of reform activists accused of terrorism and plotting to overthrow the monarchy; and b) the tragic events in Qatif that resulted in the death of [...]
First Look: Al-Sharq, Newcomer to Saudi Media
Sunday, November 13, 2011 – 23:58
The latest player on the Saudi media scene was born this week, and its creators decided to deliver it on a very special date: November 11, 2011, at exactly 11:11 KSA time. Al-Sharq will also be the 11th general interest national daily newspaper in the country. I say ‘will’ because although the website was launched [...]
Are We Fine? Two Saudi Men Detained over YouTube Video
Tuesday, October 18, 2011 – 12:13
Two Saudi men were detained Sunday in relation to a YouTube video they produced about poverty in Riyadh, colleagues said. Feras Bughnah and Hosam al-Deraiwish were called by the police for questioning Sunday afternoon, and they are still in authorities custody in the police station in Sahafa district in northern Riyadh. “We asked the guard [...]
Saudi Women Granted Right to Vote
Monday, September 26, 2011 – 21:56
Yes, you read that headline right. Saudi women will be allowed to vote and run in the next municipal elections. They will also be appointed to the Shoura Council in its next term. As I said on Twitter yesterday, this is big news for women in Saudi Arabia any way you look at it. You [...]
MOCI Failwhale
Thursday, September 1, 2011 – 22:13
The Ministry of Culture and Information (MOCI) is at it again. There is a new directive signed by Ahmad al-Hout, (get this) the acting assistant undersecretary for domestic media affairs, that bans journalists from pretty much doing anything without getting permission from the ministry first. Al-Hayat daily reports that, based on the new directive, Saudi [...]
The Diplomatic Cables, Saudi Edition (2)
Sunday, August 28, 2011 – 6:00
As many people pointed out before, most of the US diplomatic cables released by Wikileaks are boring. In the this huge pile of documents, shocking discoveries are rare. Today, I will continue what I began yesterday by looking into the some of the interesting cables from the US mission to Saudi Arabia. Some of the [...]
The Diplomatic Cables, Saudi Edition (1)
Saturday, August 27, 2011 – 19:06
Thanks to hurricane Irene, I’m stuck at home for most of the weekend. So I thought I could use the time to go through the latest dump of US diplomatic cables about Saudi Arabia that was released yesterday. One cable from January 2006 focuses on the cultural and sports programming by the US mission to [...]
