Saudi Arabia: “Release Our Detainees or Put Them on Trial!”

The families of Saudi political detainees held a protest inside two shopping centres in the capital Riyadh, calling upon the government to release their relatives or put them on trial last night (June 6, 2012).

The protests took place in Sahara Mall and Hayat Mall, located in one of the most populated areas, and it included people from both genders and all ages, calling for the freedom of their relatives, many of whom are held without charges or access to trial. The protestors yelled “Release the detainees,” which is a hadith – or saying by Prophet Mohammed (PBUH).

Netizens covered the story, giving us live updates on Twitter and YouTube.

Here is a video by sFreearab that combines photographs and video scenes of what has been documented:

On Twitter, Saudis gave different viewpoints on what was happening. Below are some of their comments:

@SawtalshabF #مظاهرات_صحارى_مول‬ اي امه نحن بدل ان نكرم مجاهديننا نعتقلهم ؟؟ الهاذا الحد وصلنا
What kind of a nation are we? Instead of rewarding our fighters, we arrest them?
@altamimi14: #مظاهرات_صحارى_مول‬ ‎‫#رجب16‬ طوال عمري مقتنع بأن ‎‫#المظاهرات‬ لا تسمن ولا تغني من جوع! بل تزيد الطين بلّه! سواء بالسعودية أو أي دولة بالعالم!
I always say that protests are useless, they make things worse whether in Saudi or any other country!
@freedome7007
‎‫#مظاهرات_صحارى_مول‬ ‎‫#رجب16‬ تجمع ناجح وتنظيم سريع ومكان موفق ونقل جيد للحدث. مالم يفك عشرات الألاف من علماء وشباب الأمة فإن الأمور ستزداد حدة~
Good, well organized, perfect location and great documentation. Unless thousands of this nation's scholars and youth are released, things will get worse!
@JOuDi92_#مظاهرات_حياة_مول‬ ‎‫#مظاهرات_صحارى_مول‬ مريضين جداً يا جعلهم يمسكونكم واحد ورى الثاني و معد تشوفون أهاليكم لهدّرجه الدنيا فوضى ؟ و في سوق ؟
Sick people!! May they arrest them all! May they never see their families ever again! This is chaos! In a shopping center?? Seriously?

@jojo2jojo#مظاهرات_صحارى_مول‬ ماذا تقولون عن أطفالي عندما داهمونا المباحث وزوجي مقيد أمامهم واختطفوه وهل هذا من الأمن !! وهذا من اقل ما يفعلون

What do you say about my children when they came into my house and arrested my husband in front of their eyes!! Is this what do you call being safe? This is the least we can do for those detainees

There has been some news that protestors have been arrested as Saudi Jeans published in his blog post covering the story.

Ahmed Al Omran writes:

Mohammad al-Abdulaziz said on Twitter that his brother and his family (wife and three children) have been arrested. It is said that more people have been arrested.

Mohammed Al-Abdulaziz tweeted about his family members who were arrested:

@_MHD_S : @EbtihalMubarak أخي وزوجته وأولاده الثلاثة .. ولا أعرف أحد غيرهم وبالتأكيد هناك آخرين
My brother, his wife and his three children.. I am not aware of any others but I am sure there are many

Other Twitter users confirm more arrests.

@iR_88
ممن اعتقل هذا اليوم عبد الله عبد الرحمن العيدان ، هيلة عبد الله العيدان وخادمتها ، إلهي كن لهم واحفظهم بحفظك ومن معهم جميعًا ‎‫#رجب16‬
Were arrested today: Abdullah Abdulrahman Aleidan, Haila Abdullah Aleidan and her maid.. Please Allah keep them safe

At 4am, Mohammed Al-Abdulaziz announced:

@_MHD_S: بخصوص النساء والأطفال يبدو أنه سيفرج عنهم قريباً (أقل من ساعة) ومن ضمنهم زوجة أخي وأولاده
As for the women and children, apparently they will release them soon (in less than an hour) including my brother's wife and their children

At 6am, another update followed:

@_MHD_S: جميع النساء فقط بانتظار كفالة أهاليهن .. الرجال لست متأكد لكن بالنسبة لأخي سيخرج بإذن الله اليوم أو غداً حسب كلام الضابط ..
All women are waiting for their families to bail them out. I am not sure about the men. As for my brother he will be released today or tomorrow as the officer told me

Last but not least, Fatima Al Habeeb comments:

@Falhabeeb: بس كذا؟ بكل بساطة تجون وتضفونهم كلهم؟‎‫#مظاهرات_صحارى_مول‬ ‎‫#مظاهرات_حياة_مول‬

Just like that? You come and arrest everybody!!

For more on Saudi detainees, check out the Twitter account @SaudiDetainees.

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