Saudi Arabia: Amad Fouad Al-Farhan released
Published: May 6, 2008
English PEN welcomes the release of internet writer Amad Fouad Al-Farhan on 26 April 2008. He had been in detention since 10 December 2007, apparently without charge. The Saudi authorities have not made any statement about the case.
According to PEN's information, Al-Farhan was detained by Saudi security agents on 10 December 2007 at his place of work in Jeddah and his computer was confiscated. It is thought that Al-Farhan was held for his online comments in support of political prisoners detained in Saudi Arabia. Although the Interior Ministry acknowledged Al-Farhan's detention, it did not specify any charges against him, saying only that they were not security-related.
In an email sent to friends before his arrest, Al-Farhan had stated that he had been warned by the Saudi Interior Ministry that he would be 'picked up in the coming two weeks' and questioned. In the same email he speculated that he could be questioned about comments he had recently made on his blog in support of the rights of political prisoners in Saudi Arabia.
Al-Farhan is considered the dean of blogging - he was one of the first to blog in the kingdom using his real name, and, according to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), was the first blogger to be targeted directly in Saudi Arabia. His online mission is the "search for freedom, dignity, justice, equality, public participation and other lost Islamic values."
While Al-Farhan was in jail, his supporters maintained his blog, launched an internet campaign demanding Al-Farhan's release (http://en.freefouad.com/?p=49 ), and formed a group on the online social network Facebook which now has more than 1,000 members. Fellow bloggers also organised a 'Day of Silence for Fouad' in January, when instead of posting articles they put up banners on their sites calling for his release.
Please click here for Al- Farhan's blog.
English PEN's appeal on his case can be found here.
Thank you to all who sent appeals on his behalf.