Saudi opposition calls for minister to be tried

Source: Reuters

Saudi opposition calls for minister to be tried
05 May 2007 09:16:33 GMT
Source: Reuters

RIYADH, May 5 (Reuters) - Opposition figures in Saudi Arabia,
an absolute monarchy with little tolerance for dissent, have
issued a public call for Interior Minister Prince Nayef bin
Abdulaziz to face trial for suspected rights abuses.

A letter sent to King Abdullah late last month and made public
this week accuses the prince, one of the most powerful Saudi
royals, of creating a "culture of fear" and a "police state" that
prevents political reforms.

There is almost no chance of the minister facing legal action,
but the unusual call reflects growing disillusion with slow
progress on promised reforms.

-snip-

The letter accused the interior ministry of relying solely on
security measures to tackle militant violence by al Qaeda
sympathisers, and "supporting a distorted religious discourse
that hurts citizenship, pluralism and tolerance".

-snip-

Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L05496875.htm

I wonder if the Saudis are getting pissed because of lack of intervention in Iraq to help their fellow Sunni? Help stop the sectarian war and bring bin Laden to justice. I know his family is very powerful in Saudi Arabia so this may be a bit of a problem for the royals.