The current climate is in marked contrast to that in 2005, when King Abdullah came to the throne promising change.
Having pinned their hopes on him, reformists now feel he has failed to deliver.
Saudi blogger Fouad al-Farhan has been detained since December for speaking out on behalf of the jailed reformists.
BBC – Whatever happened to Saudi reform?
Comments
I remember a few years ago, when elections where conducted for municipal councils ! But it all turned out to be a play ! and the live proof is when driving on the broken and bumpy roads in KSA, as conditions in some areas have not been changed since than!
If this is the case, what do you think about a parliament… There is not even a margin of freedom or democracy in these countries !
And the only way is to to calm people is to sedate them with gifts by the government in the form of increments in salaries !
Its all fake !
i figure king abdulla wants change, but saudi is a huge, huge country and theres a lot of very opinionated people behind its current regime making any sort of ‘development’ pretty tough. i wish them the best.
So far, as a Saudi citizen, King Abdullah did not give much other than real disappointment. Not only looking at meaningful political changes but also considering the lack of transparency when it comes to major economical changes/ projects such as the economical cities in Rabigh, Jizan and Hail. I also cannot see so far any real change in the educational system and projects to change the justice system are still not giving any real fruits.
Without a Constitution, things will keep being under the complete mercy of few individuals who even wants change did not prove being able to mobilize it.
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