A Saudi reformer who gave Aljazeera an exclusive interview about suppression and growing instability in the kingdom was arrested minutes later.
Abd al-Aziz al-Tayyar told Al jazeera by telephone that Saudi security forces had surrounded his home just after 1a.m. and were preparing to storm his house.
| "It's da coppers! Dey're comin' t'get me!... Ma! Ma! Tell Ma they got me!" |
But in his last few minutes of freedom, the activist told millions of viewers how âall tribesmen are now willing to fight this government ⊠we will protect the rights of our people some day. This is not the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia any more. It is a jungle full of monsters ⊠Saudi people are suppressed. They suffer poverty and unemployment.â
| "If they spent more time on religion they wouldn't have those problems!" |
Arrests followed as a number of activisits were arrested at al-Tayyarâs house in al-Rawda quarter of Riyadh, including Muhammad al-Mayuf, Khalid al-Turki and Muhammad al-Subai. Al-Tayyar will be held at the Alaysha prison for questioning before being transferred to the notorious al-Hair political prison in Riyadh, according to Saudi dissident Dr Saad al-Faqih. Al-Faqih believes the activist is unlikely to be tortured as he comes from a powerful and well-connected family, "but he may be made to sign a confession admitting wrong-doing".
| Oh, go ahead an torture him before you burn his jailhouse down... |
Saudi authorities were not prepared to say why he was arrested. |