Washington TimesThree Saudis arrested for YouTube pleas, activists sayBy Jessica Chasmar
The Washington Times
Sunday, March 30, 2014
Three Saudi citizens were arrested Saturday after they posted YouTube videos criticizing “corruption” in the kingdom, activists said on Sunday.
In one video, a young man who identifies himself as Abdulaziz Mohammed al-Dosari calls on King Abdullah to give Saudis money to improve their lives, the Agence France-Presse reported.
“Give us our money… we do not want to beg… You and your children are playing with this money,” he said about Saudi’s oil wealth.
In another video, a man identifying himself as Abdullah bin Othman urged Saudis to protest widespread corruption by going online and posting their comments, “so that our voices could reach the king.”
A man calling himself Saud al-Harbi threatened action in a third video: “Please listen to us. We want housing, we want a decent life … Do not force people to take to the streets.”
AFP could not immediately confirm the arrests from official sources.
Saudi Arabia is part of the Gulf monarchies ramping up surveillance in an effort to control online media.
Saudis are increasingly taking to Twitter and YouTube to demand better living conditions in the kingdom where protesting is strictly prohibited.
Despite its huge oil wealth, Saudi Arabia has a jobless rate of more than 12.5 percent, AFP reported.
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