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Leading
Saudi cleric warns against 'Day of Rage' protests
Friday March 11, 2011 07:30:10 PM,
DPA
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Cairo/Riyadh: Riyadh's most prominent religious scholar
told worshippers Friday that Islam strictly prohibits protests in
Saudi Arabia, while security was beefed up nationwide as a further
deterrent amid calls for a "Day of Rage".
"Islam strictly prohibits protests in the kingdom because the
ruler here rules by God's will," Sheikh Abdel Aziz Ibn Abudllah
Alasheikh said during a sermon in Riyadh's central mosque.
He said that "democracy is Islam" and that the conservative
kingdom adheres to the religion by prohibiting the sale of
alcohol, fighting corruption and cutting off the hands of those
who steal.
Activists on the social networking website Facebook had called for
nationwide demonstrations to demand greater reforms and freedoms
in the conservative kingdom during the "Day of Rage," which is
modelled on similar recent protests in other parts of the Arab
world.
Activists said that a few hundred protesters were demonstrating in
Hofuf, located in the eastern province. Unconfirmed video posted
online showed a male-only crowd marching along a main road.
Riyadh, meanwhile, was reported to be quiet on Friday, with no
protests seen after midday prayers, the activists said.
Helicopters hovered over the city, major streets were cordoned off
by security forces and a heavy security presence was deployed
around mosques, they noted.
The government had this week reminded activists that Saudi Arabia
has banned demonstrations. To support the move, authorities
recently obtained a religious edict, or fatwa, saying that
protests are prohibited by Islam.
Unconfirmed reports on activist websites said that six people were
arrested after midday prayers, in an effort to hamper would-be
protesters.
The activists had vowed to protest following Friday prayers,
calling on God to give them strength.
They said they would protest for the right to elect governors and
members of the Shura Council, a governmental advisory body. They
are also calling for an independent judiciary, the release of
political prisoners, greater civil rights, freedom of expression,
higher minimum wage and more rights for women.
Meanwhile, a collective of anonymous hackers called Anonops wrote
on the micro-blogging website Twitter that its members are going
to target Saudi government websites to support activists on the
ground.
Late Thursday, Saudi security forces had fired on demonstrators in
the city of Qatif in the east of the country, where minority
Shiites have held a series of protests calling for equality from
the Sunni-led government, media reported.
It was unclear if anybody was injured during the clash with
security forces.
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