Saudi Arabia increased arrests of dissident intellectuals and preachers

By  Summary Latinoamericano , www.resumenlatinoamericano.org

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Summary Latinoa- American / AlManar / 16 September 2017 - 

Saudi authorities have recently carried out new arrests of dissident intellectuals and preachers, accentuating the repression against potential adversaries of the country 's regime, he said on Wednesday the Israeli daily  Haaretz ,  citing activists who speak on social networks.

According to activists, at least 20 people were arrested amid speculation, denied by the authorities, that King  Salman intends to abdicate in favor of his son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud. 

The young prince is already in charge of internal politics, economy and diplomacy of the kingdom.

According to Saudi sources, cited by the newspaper, three famous preachers are among the detainees: Salman al Audah, Awad al Qarni and Ali Omari. They were arrested last week.

The Saudi group  -rights ALQST Human Rights , based in London, has reported several arrests, including the names of Salman al Audah, Awad al Qarni and several others.

Saudi authorities have not wanted to comment on this information.

The official  Saudi Press Agency  (SPA) said on Tuesday 

the authorities had discovered a group of people was engaged in "covert activities for the benefit of foreigners."

According to Reuters,  the suspects were accused of spying and contact with foreign organizations including the Muslim Brotherhood, which Riyadh considers a terrorist organization, although that has been supporting in Syria.

On Tuesday night, the Saudi Interior Ministry asked the public on Twitter that used an application called "We are all security", launched in February. 

Attorney General's office later said that any attack or criticism of "national unity" or the "image of the state" (understood as the absolutist rule of the Al Saud family) was a "terrorist crime".

The Saudi government has increased its pressure on dissidents after the Arab Spring of 2011 and again more recently for fear of open opposition to Muhammad bin Salman as crown prince.

Salman al Audah is a famous preacher among the Salafists and the Muslim Brotherhood groups.He recently called for ending the embargo Arabia to Qatar.

On the other hand, in a new tweet, the famous Moujtahed tuitero, which is suspected member of the Saudi royal family or someone very close to it, on Wednesday revealed another surprise: 

"The authorities have strictly forbidden any Saudi prince to travel abroad without permission personnel Crown Prince Salman Bin".

"We were notified now: 

Abdel Aziz (a Saudi prince who was arrested by his differences with Bin Salman) is banned from traveling at the moment and is prohibited in addition to all other princes to travel unless they have a personal authorization Bin Salman, "Moujtahd said in his account Twitter.

Moujtahed It is recalled that in an earlier tweet announced the release of Prince Abdel Aziz, son of the late King Fahd ben Abdul Aziz Al Saud. But it is impossible to know the current situation of Prince Abdul Aziz after his release. It was why Moujtahed has publicly questioned whether the prince has been released completely or under.