February 3rd, 2006 / December 12th, 2016
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Page with a chronological overview of the country file articles published on the Chronicle website.
Sheikh Salman al-Ouda: A Life of Defiance
Mohammed bin Salman (also known as MBS) saw the elderly sheikh as more of a threat than an asset to his rule. On 9 September 2017, MBS ordered the arrest of al-Ouda for posting a tweet that read: ‘May God harmonize between their hearts for the good o...
Samar Badawi, Symbol of the Saudi Anti-Male Guardianship System
Through her personal situation, Badawi became a symbol of anti-male guardianship’s advocacy in Saudi Arabia, and is considered to be one of the “first women to petition Saudi authorities to allow women to drive, vote and run in municipal elections.” Howev...
Saudi Cleric Safar al-Hawali Joins the List of the Forcibly Disappeared
The arrest came after al-Hawali published a book critical of the Saudi royal family. Titled Muslims and Western Civilization, the book largely denounces the West. However, it contains a chapter implying that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (also referred...
Growing Number of Festivals in Saudi Arabia Aims to Boost Tourism, Local Economy
The government aims to welcome 30 million visitors by 2030, compared to 18 million in 2016. According to the Tourism Information and Research Center website, tourist numbers have been rising over the past year. More than 28 per cent of tourists are now...
Enormous Solar Plant Central to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030
This massive plan is in line with the kingdom’s aspiration of becoming the leading exporter of solar energy in the Middle East. “Vision 2030 is expected to play a key role in realizing this objective,” Zafar said. “Under the King Salman Renewable Energy ...
The Saudi Quest for Media Control
The only space that has not been bought or seized by MBS is social media. After the crown prince announced his Vision 2030, which he is undertaking to reduce the kingdom’s dependency on oil, there was much debate on social media about whether the vision i...
Poet Nawaf al-Rashid Detained Amid Spate of Arbitrary Arrests in Saudi Arabia
The arrest comes at the same time that Saudi Arabia has detained a number of prominent women’s rights activists, ironically just ahead of the date set to lift the ban on women driving in the kingdom. The arrests of both the activists and al-Rashid have p...
Saudi Arabia punishing Turkey for its Lack of Support
Fuelling Saudi Arabia’s anger, Turkey sent additional troops to Qatar in December 2017, and the two countries signed an agreement in March 2018 to establish a naval base and training centre and to send 60,000 more soldiers. In response, Saudi Arabia’s pow...
