Saudi Arabia: Call for more freedoms. A group of Saudi reformists is
drafting a petition calling for gradual democracy and eventual elections in
the absolute monarchy, Saudis familiar with the letter sai on 20 January,
reported the Singapore Straits Times from Jeddah.
The document, addressed to Crown Prince Abdullah, echoes the sentiment
expressed in a draft proposal leaked to the Saudi press the week before, in
which the de facto ruler called for wide-ranging political reforms across
the Arab world, including enhanced popular participation in politics.
It contains a set of ideas and suggestions and not a list of outright
demands in a country where public debate is muted and the ruling al-Saud
family answers to no elected representatives.
The reformist letter, whose authors hope to gain up to 100 signatures from
Saudis of all walks of life and regions, includes a request that the
appointed consultative Shura council be eventually transformed into an
elected body.
Straits Times report.
Committee to Protect Journalists report on Saudi Arabia.
Huamn Rights Watch report on Saudi Arabia.
http://www.indexonline.org/indexindex/20030121_saudiarabia.shtml
See also for the International links...
http://www.throneout.com/
