Dozens of Saudis gather outside Interior Ministry in capital Riyadh to demand release of political prisoners

Despite ban on media coverage, it seems that Saudi Arabia has actually joined the wave of protests against the current regimes in the region…

FREE POLITICAL PRISONERS
In this context, Reuters reported that dozens of Saudi men gathered outside the Interior Ministry in the capital Riyadh on Sunday to demand the release of jailed relatives, amid a heavy police presence.

At least 50 police cars surrounded the ministry, and three men were seen by a Reuters witness being put into police cars. "We have seen at least three or four police vehicles taking people away," said an activist there who declined to be named. "Security forces have arrested around 15 people. They tried to go into the ministry to go and ask for the freedom of their loved ones."

Dozens of men in traditional white robes and red headdresses gathered outside while a large number of police and security forces watched.

Saudi Arabia has warned those seeking reform that protests will not be tolerated. Yet, the men gathered at the interior ministry two days after Saudi Arabia's ruler, King Abdullah, offered $93 billion-worth of wage increases, jobs and construction projects, but gave no political concessions, in what appeared to be a bid to prevent people from organizing protests.

Interior Ministry spokesman Mansour al-Turki could not confirm the arrests. "There are many people who come to the ministry to see different officials for different reason," he told Reuters.

GATHERINGS WILL CONTINUE
"It is a human rights issue and unless it is sorted out the gatherings will continue," said a Saudi-based political analyst who declined to be named.

"These Saudis do have issues with their relatives being held for a number of years... we need more transparency on this. I never expected to see a mass movement in Saudi Arabia. People accept the system but people want a better system."

Protests planned earlier this month did not materialize amid a heavy police crackdown that appeared to have intimidated most potential protesters, Reuters reportd. Yet, the opposition has staged marches in Eastern Province, where most of the kingdom's oil fields are located.