- Global Voices - https://globalvoices.org -

Saudi Arabia: “Demonstrations are Forbidden in This Country”

· Written by Haifa Alrasheed

Categories: Middle East & North Africa, Saudi Arabia, Freedom of Speech, Politics, Protest, Religion

Saudi Arabia's council of senior clerics [1] issued a statement forbidding public protests.

@Almatrafi [2] shares the statement [3] by the body headed by the Mufti Sheikh Abdul-Aziz Al al-Sheikh [4] on Tweetmail [Ar]:

The Council of Senior Clerics affirms that demonstrations are forbidden in this country. The correct way in sharia (Islamic law) of realizing common interest is by advising, which is what the Prophet Mohammad established,

The statement continues:

Reform and advice should not be through demonstrations and ways that provoke strife and division, this is what the religious scholars of this country in the past and now have forbidden and warned against

The announcement caused a storm of reaction from Saudi tweeps, under the hashtags #saudimataleb and #Kebaralolama. Below are some:

@alduaa [5]
لا اعلم ما التعريف الحقيقي لهيئة كبار العلماء والى اي جهة ينحازون ولا اعلم من اي عقليه ينحدرون#saudimataleb

I don't know what's the true definition of council of senior clerics or to which side they're with or to what mentality they belong!!

@yaseral [6]
في زمن تساقط الاقنعه وانكشاف الحقيقه ….اتت هيئه كبار العلماء واسقطت جميع اقنعتها وفقدت مصداقيتها لدي الشعب #kebaralolama #saudimataleb

In the time where masks are down and truth is revealed, the council of senior clerics came and dropped all of its masks and lost its credibility

@nouralnour55 [7]
الحج اكبر المظاهرات فهل يعنى تحريم التظاهر من هئيه كبار العلماء اليوم تحريما للحج #ksa #mar11 #saudi #Saudimataleb

Hajj is the hugest protest, does that mean it's prohibited too?

@SaHeRManam [8]
#SaudiMataleb #OnlyInSaudi هيئة كبار العلماء وشرايكم تكرمونا بسكوتكم وتاكلون رز بلبن افيد للصحه

Dear council of senior clerics, how about you close your mouths and enjoy a nice meal of rice and milk, better for your health.

@onsaudirights [9]
خسرت كبار العلماء فرصة غالية لاسترداد شيء من مكانتها #saudimataleb

The council of senior clerics lost a remarkable opportunity to regain some of its dignity

@Sarah_Alshawi [10]
سقطة يا هيئة كبار العلماء و ما اعظمها من سقطة. و ياليتني استطيع القول انها الاولى… الشكوى لله

oh what an error dear council of senior clerics! I wish I can say it's your first… I send my complaints to Allah

And finally @SaudiLawyer [11] is questioning:

((والهيئة إذ تؤكد على حرمة المظاهرات في هذه البلاد))!!٠ ممكن أحد يشرح لي لماذا فقط: (في هذه البلاد)؟ #Kebaralolama

“The Council of Senior Clerics affirms that demonstrations are forbidden in this country.” Can someone explain to me why “in this country” only?