Is Saudi Arabia Ramping Up the Campaign against Religious Scholars? | Inside Story

Saudi Arabia has jailed many activists and dissidents since Mohammed Bin Salman became the Crown Prince two years ago. Now media reports suggest three religious scholars may be sentenced to death after the Muslim month of Ramadan.

Salman Al-Odah, Awad Al-Qarni and Ali Al-Omari were arrested in September 2017 on what Saudi Arabia described as terror charges. They are seen as reformists who have spoken about human rights.

The United Nations and rights groups have been calling for their release. Why are they targeted? And what message will this send about human rights in the Kingdom?

Presenter: Sami Zeidan | Guests: Sami Hamdi - Editor-in-Chief of The International Interest, a current affairs magazine; Bessma Momani - Professor of Political Science at the University of Waterloo; Ali Al-Ahmed - Director of the Gulf Affairs Institute and a former Saudi political prisoner

Only Religious Scholars Allowed to Discuss Matters of Faith, Says UN Body
DAILY TIMES: * UN body says only religious scholars should be allowed to discuss 
matters of faith

GENEVA: Muslim countries have won a battle to prevent Islam from being criticised during debates by the UN Human Rights Council. Religions deserve special protection because any debate about faith is bound to be “very complex, very sensitive and very intense”, council President Doru-Romulus Costea said Wednesday.



Scholars: Only religious scholars should be allowed to discuss matters of faith, he told journalists in Geneva.



While Costea’s ban applies to all religions, it was prompted by Muslim countries complaining about references to Islam. Muslim Countries Win Concession Regarding Religious Debates >>> | June 19, 2008

Hat tip: Jihad Watch

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