Administration Presses Saudi Government On Imprisoned Blogger, Ignored Gang Rape Victim
Administration Presses Saudi Government On Imprisoned Blogger, Ignored Gang Rape Victim
On Dec. 10, Saudi officials arrested Fouad al-Farhan, a popular “outspoken” blogger who writes about social issues. The Saudi Interior Ministry recently confirmed that Farhan is being held for “purposes of interrogation.” Farhan believes he was seized because he wrote about political prisoners being held by Saudi Arabia and notes that he was “asked to sign a statement of apology.”
Farhan’s arrest has infuriated activists worldwide. At yesterday’s State Department briefing, a reporter asked spokesman Sean McCormack what the Bush administration has done about this situation:
MCCORMACK: Our message to the Saudi Government was pretty clear. It’s what you heard me talk a little bit about yesterday and that is that the United States stands for freedom of expression. It’s an important element of any thriving society. It’s a cornerstone of any democratic society. [...]
QUESTION: At what level was this message conveyed?
MCCORMACK: It was conveyed back here in Washington at a relatively senior level.
Watch it:
It’s an encouraging sign that the Bush administration is standing for Farhan’s human rights and has confronted the Saudi government. But it also raises questions about why officials ignored a story — which aroused similar outrage — regarding 19-year old Saudi woman who was the victim of a brutal gang rape and later sentenced to 200 lashes. The Saudi court blamed her for being an “adulteress who invited the attack.”
When asked about the Saudi rape case on Nov. 19, McCormack said he was “astonished,” but had “nothing else to offer.” White House Press Secretary Dana Perino said the administration would rely on the “appeals process” to work it out. President Bush said he that although he spoke with King Abdullah “about the Middle Eastern peace,” he couldn’t remember whether the Saudi rape case had been mentioned.
QUESTION: Do you have an opinion on this blogger in Saudi that’s being detained?
MR. MCCORMACK: Thanks for asking the question. We have raised this with the Saudi Government.
QUESTION: You have.
MR. MCCORMACK: And our understanding is that he’s being questioned. I’ve seen some public comments from the Saudi officials. And our message to the Saudi Government was pretty clear. It’s what you heard me talk a little bit about yesterday and that is that the United States stands for freedom of expression. It’s an important element of any thriving society. It’s a cornerstone of any democratic society. And wherever people are seeking to express themselves via the internet or via other means, whether that’s in Saudi Arabia or elsewhere around the world, we stand for that freedom of expression and that was our message to the Saudi Government.
QUESTION: At what level was this message conveyed?
MR. MCCORMACK: It was conveyed back here in Washington at a relatively senior level.
QUESTION: Ambassador level or beyond that?
MR. MCCORMACK: I’ll just — let’s just say at a senior level back here in Washington.
QUESTION: What response?
MR. MCCORMACK: Well, I’ll let the Saudis speak for themselves.
QUESTION: A relatively senior level, not the most senior level.
MR. MCCORMACK: Not the most senior level here at the Department, no.
QUESTION: Well, can we assume that would be an Assistant Secretary of State or someone of that ilk — Deputy Assistant Secretary?
MR. MCCORMACK: In that range, yes.
QUESTION: Was there a reminder given that President Bush is on his way to Riyadh in about ten days?
MR. MCCORMACK: I don’t believe that was part of the conversation. I think everybody’s aware of that.
QUESTION: Well, I mean, I would assume you guys would hope that this could be — he’d be released before Bush arrives.
MR. MCCORMACK: Well, they — it’s within the privy of the powers of the Saudi officials to address the situation.
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30 Responses to “Administration Presses Saudi Government On Imprisoned Blogger, Ignored Gang Rape Victim”
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I thought the rape victim was "pardoned", to get all us Westerners to leave Saudi Arabia alone.
January 4th, 2008 at 11:55 amShe was pardoned wasn't she?
January 4th, 2008 at 11:58 amSo, Bush "couldn't remember" mentioning the rape case. Sounds like selective amnesia to me.
January 4th, 2008 at 11:59 amI find it all rather puzzling that the Bush State Dept would express any concern over a Saudi blogger. Something else must be at play here.
January 4th, 2008 at 12:00 pm"It’s an encouraging sign that the Bush administration is standing for Farhan’s human rights and has confronted the Saudi government"
Said with a Wink Wink, Nod, Nod. As if GW666's buddies in SA are going to do anything about it.
Bush/Cheney
Hague Trials '09
Buck Fush
January 4th, 2008 at 12:00 pmI thought the rape victim was “pardonedâ€, to get all us Westerners to leave Saudi Arabia alone.
Comment by ForTruth — January 4, 2008 @ 11:55 am
And the next rape victim, will they get pardoned?
January 4th, 2008 at 12:03 pmBecause the same same judges are still in office and their law has not changed.
Thank god for them corrupt Saudis, if it weren't for them, we might be paying $10/gallon for gas. We should all have to pray to the House of Saud before we fill up our tanks. http://www.tshirtinsurgency.com
January 4th, 2008 at 12:04 pmI thin khe was joking Wayne.. as was I.
January 4th, 2008 at 12:05 pmMaybe I'm a jerk, but I think we should get our own house in order before we expect our government to fix everything in the world.
Saudi Arabia is a sovereign nation and I think we lost our moral high ground privledges a few years back.
January 4th, 2008 at 12:07 pmAhh yes good ol' house of Sod. With Prince kissy face and King "we like American Bush". Holding hands and whatnot.
January 4th, 2008 at 12:08 pmAs an aside:
The Sauds have worked to keep the dollar as the standard currency of oil (because, of course, they hold so many). I keep hearing that it would be bad for the dollar to lose out to the euro as the standard for oil.
Can any of you smart people explain why that is so? Would it further devalue the dollar? Or does it have to do with our foreign debt?
January 4th, 2008 at 12:11 pm7 years and finally the Bush Admin. behaves honorably for once.
Amazing.
-GSD
January 4th, 2008 at 12:13 pmI find it all rather puzzling that the Bush State Dept would express any concern over a Saudi blogger. Something else must be at play here.
Comment by Frosty Cupcake — January 4, 2008 @ 12:00 pm
I wonder if now they'll start talking to high-level officials in Egypt about releasing Ahmed Mohassan, Alaa Abd al-Fattah, and Kareem Amer, too.
January 4th, 2008 at 12:13 pmCan any of you smart people explain why that is so? Would it further devalue the dollar? Or does it have to do with our foreign debt?
Comment by Frosty Cupcake — January 4, 2008 @ 12:11 pm
The fact that the Saudi oil market trades in dollars ensures that there will always be a demand for dollars in the rest of the world. Since the world runs on oil, and since there's a finite supply of dollars, this arrangement maintains the value of the dollar. When countries such as Venezuela and Iran begin trading in yen and Euros, it reduces the demand for dollars, thus dropping the value of the dollar.
That's how I understand it, anyhow.
January 4th, 2008 at 12:17 pmHow can Bush & the USA complain to SA when we TORTURE others, too?
January 4th, 2008 at 12:20 pmI suspect this is just another way of widening tensions between Iran and the US, and to reinforce the idea that they are an evil oppressive regime, in order to help pave the way for military action.
Comment by BARTLEBEE — January 4, 2008 @ 12:16 pm
It is worth noting that Ahmedinejad and King Abd Allah have been meeting recently, and that relations seem to be improving between Iran and Saudi Arabia. It'll be very interesting to see how that plays out.
January 4th, 2008 at 12:21 pmI would appreciate it if someone would qualify the term "relatively high level" before I give too much credit to the Bush administration. "Relatively high level" could be a postal clerk.
January 4th, 2008 at 12:22 pmHow can Bush & the USA complain to SA when we TORTURE others, too?
Comment by Zimzone — January 4, 2008 @ 12:20 pm
Good point. Hell, some of our renditonees might be in the same cell block as Fouad.
January 4th, 2008 at 12:22 pmThanks, BARTLEBEE and toasterhead.
:)
January 4th, 2008 at 12:22 pmMCCORMACK: It was conveyed back here in Washington at a relatively senior level.
That would be a senior in high school, texting another senior in SA.
January 4th, 2008 at 12:30 pmEgypt and Iran have been working on mending fences too. Though one sticking point is the fact that Iran has a big bill-board up and a street honoring one of Sadat's assassins.
Egypt wants it taken down and I can't blame them.
-GSD
January 4th, 2008 at 12:31 pmI'm glad you guys noticed. Obviously, she should have blogged her gang rape and second rape at the hands of Saudi justice.
January 4th, 2008 at 12:37 pmGood grief. These disgusting hypocrites make me sick.
January 4th, 2008 at 12:52 pmI thought the rape victim was “pardonedâ€, to get all us Westerners to leave Saudi Arabia alone.
Comment by ForTruth
The rape victim was pardoned. But that doesn't excuse Bush ignoring the problem when it was front and center in the news. I agree with a previous poster, something more is going on here than the imprisonment of a blogger. Bloggers are certainly not high on Bush's list of friends.
January 4th, 2008 at 12:56 pmAdditionally, a move to oil by euro would be a HUGE blow to the USD. Think junk bonds but only for currency. At one point it cost 1000 liera (sic. The old Italian currency) - give or take a few thou to buy a cup of coffee. I would expect that gas would surge to $5 or more a gallon - which would still be cheap on the world stage. It's already beyond that in Europe (and has been) for a long time.
January 4th, 2008 at 12:56 pmHuck: "When did all this happen??????".
January 4th, 2008 at 1:52 pmWhen you have people like McCormick representing State it is no wonder that we are hated around the world. The pukes have this way of saying nothing when they speak. It is so administration to hide behind drule like "astonished... but nothing more to offer", or the "message was clear" (ly a lie). The message was in fact a message that will go nowhere. If it is unintelligable in english imagine what it ment in farce or Arabian, or any language. And that is the way they conduct business, yours and mind.
January 4th, 2008 at 2:04 pmThe message from our goverment, state in the instance, to all around the world, including us Americans is shut up, it's none of your business. The word of the administration is the unspoken word. Or the lie. It's sooo convienent and so intellectually republican that it will always get lost.
We the People of all the world have regressed for seven years due to the "Brownie" ways of the republicans.
May this end soon. And may they all go to the Hague.
Why not use the simple diplomatic channel: Bushco's Carlyle group is major advisor and image consultant to Saudis. Just ask papa to tell the Saudis that their actions give them a bad image.
Why is it so difficult (unless Shrub wants it to be difficult for some reason ?)
January 4th, 2008 at 2:10 pmComment by MapleStreet — January 4, 2008 @ 2:10 pm
Because Saudi men in the kingdom would have a fit. You MUST keep women under the thumb no matter what it takes and the threat of rape and its consequences to the woman does that nicely.
And why would the admin say anything? They don't give two craps about women here any more than there. How many US women were raped by coworkers under State - which is doing NOTHING about it.
Women are chattel.
January 4th, 2008 at 2:27 pmIt'll take more than arresting bloggers and whipping rape victims to get Pres. Bush to dislodge his lips from Prince Bandar's posterior!
And Lord knows they've tried:
http://www.asecondlookatthesaudis.com
To paraphrase Charlton Heston, they'll have to pry the Prince's posterior ". . . from his cold dead lips."
January 4th, 2008 at 3:55 pm