The American Political Science Association is taking official action on behalf of Dr. Matrouk al-Faleh, a political scientist detained by the Saudi government. You may have heard about this, especially if you're a member of the Human Rights section of APSA; if you haven't, here are some basic facts about Faleh and the consequences of his attempts to speak out against the Saudi monarchy, supplied by the Washington Post:
- Over the past year, Faleh has accused the Interior Ministry of disregarding laws that ban arrests without charge and guarantee the right to counsel.
- Faleh, 55, a dissident with a long history of political activism, spent 18 months in prison and was released in August 2005 after a royal pardon.
- Faleh was one of three activists, along with Ali al-Domaini and Abdullah al-Hamed, who were jailed in 2004 after calling for a constitutional monarchy and an elected parliament. They were banned from traveling outside the kingdom after their release.
The President of APSA has written an appeal for Faleh's release, and the AAAS has now issued an appeal for its members to take up the cause and write to Saudi officials about the case. They provide a detailed background of the case and contact information here.
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