Geez, I wonder if--between pleas for more oil pumping--the prez will feel like he as the leverage (or interest) to bring this up:
HRW Press Release
(Washington D.C., April 24, 2005) - U.S. President George W. Bush
should call on Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Abdullah to immediately
release three dissidents imprisoned for more than a year for petitioning
for a constitutional monarchy, Human Rights Watch said today on the
eve of the de facto Saudi ruler's visit.In March 2004, Saudi authorities arrested 13 people in several cities
for circulating a petition calling for a constitutional monarchy with an
elected parliament, and signaling their intent to form an independent
human rights organization. The government released 10 of them after
compelling them to sign an agreement that they would cease their
public petitioning.Three of the men - Matruk al-Falih, Ali al-Domaini, and Abdullah al-
Hamid - refused to sign the statement, and remain in prison facing
charges of "issuing statements" and "using Western terminology" in
calling for reform. Their lead lawyer, 'Abd al-Rahman al-Lahim, one
of the 10 released in March, has been detained since early November
for statements he made to the press about the case.
Another bet: What are the chances any of the papers raise this question?
