Saudi blogger freed

2008-04-26 17:07

Riyadh - A Saudi blogger detained without charge for more than four months after expressing pro-reform opinions has been released, a colleague said on Saturday.

Fouad Farhan was detained in early December after running an online campaign over 10 men arrested since February 2007 on suspicion of financing militant groups, but whose supporters say they are being punished for pro-democracy activity.

"I received a mobile phone message from his wife at 05:30 this morning saying he was released," said Ahmed al-Omran, who published the news on his website (www.saudijeans.org).

"It was surprising. After blocking his website, I thought his detention would go on longer. It's good news."

Saudi authorities blocked Farhan's website (www.alfarhan.org) earlier this month.

An Interior Ministry spokesperson said he would not confirm Farhan's release. The ministry had declined to say on what charges he was arrested, but said it was not security related.

Saud Arabia, a key US ally, has no political parties or elected parliament, and many Web forums calling for reforms have been blocked by the government.

An Islamist preacher was detained for nearly two weeks in 2006 for an Internet article that criticised government ministers. (Reporting by Andrew Hammond; editing by Summer Said and Philippa Fletcher)

- Reuters