Top Saudi Blogger Detained For “Non-Security Law Violations”

It’s hard out there for…a Saudi Arabian blogger.

The headlines on Technorati are many today. It’s now been made officially clear by the Saudi Interior Ministry that a widely-regarded Arabian noisemaker, Fouah al-Farhan, was recently “taken in” for questioning “about specific violations of non-security laws.”

Mr al-Farhan covers, among other items, the subject of social issues in his blog. Yes, quite a basic and broad template upon which to write one’s thoughts. Plenty of fine lines to walk in that area of public discussion.

This is certainly not the first instance in which a blogger drew the ire of government officials in the Middle East. Many others are reputed to be (or have previously been) detained for speaking of social subjects – be they controversial or rather commonplace and undramatic - in mostly uncontrolled venues. It is only for the fact that Mr Fouah, a 32-year-old with an office and residence in the city of Jidda, was, prior to his arrest on December 10th, 2006 (which he had anticipated in advance, according to a message relayed to associates), a very prominent voice in the Saudi blog world.

Though Saudi officials obviously have remained mum as to the exact reasoning for the detention, al-Farhan surmised that it was due to his open posting on the subject of political prisoners within the country. Speaking about the authorities, he wrote, “…they think I’m running an online campaign promoting (the) issue,” and went on to say his arrest resulted from his refusal to sign a statement of apology for accusations made about the dishonesty of the Saudi government.

Our assumption is that al-Farhan will be released sometime within the relatively near future. An indefinite detention of the writer – one with an hugely extensive following, no less – would likely prove more trouble than it would be worth for authorities. But as with most things in the region where, by and large, protest of local government drives local government to exercise extra petulance in its dealings with “disruptions,” we can only wait and see what this blogger’s outcome will be.