Saudi Dissidents [Reformists] Launch Satellite TV Channel

Reuters ^ | 5-15-03 | Reuters

[GraniteStateConservative]

A Saudi opposition group has launched a satellite television channel which its leader said on Thursday could prove a greater threat to Saudi rulers than violence inspired by Osama bin Laden.

Saad al-Fagih, head of the London-based Movement for Islamic Reform in Arabia, told Reuters the Islah channel was part of efforts to "penetrate the wall of deception" in the kingdom and allow Saudis to express their own opinions freely.

"This will be more dangerous to the Saudi royal family than all the bombs of bin Laden," Fagih said.

He said the channel, now showing only an introductory message, would be fully operational in the next few days, offering two to three hours a day of live talk shows to be repeated over a 24-hour cycle, as well as text news on screen.

Fagih said the Movement for Islamic Reform in Arabia, founded in 1994, called for peaceful change in his homeland, demanding political freedoms along with a transparent and accountable government.

The television channel will replace a 24-hour Voice of Reform radio station launched by the group in December 2002.

Fagih said the channel was not broadcasting from Britain, but would not reveal its location. It can be viewed on the Hot Bird 3 satellite, frequency 12.149 GHz, vertical polarization.

[GraniteStateConservative]

Maybe Saudis [and Iranians] don't appreciate repression like Sarandon appreciates it.

[smith288]

Freedom is so close, yet so far away.

[js1138]

The Soviet Union spent decades attempting to jam news broadcasts from non-communist countries. Government censorship of news and political opinion is the heart and soul of totalitarianism. Any government that allows free access to news will eventually have to reform.

[Tunehead54]

I smell stategery and it smells like a future whiff of victory over evil-doers, many, many evil-doers. ;-)

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[AdmSmith]

The Movement for Islamic Reform in Arabia promotes freedom of expression and an end to the cleptocracy of the House of Saud. Both are honorable endeavours. However, the result would be, and that is the purpose, a parliament dominated by conservatives, tribal leaders and religious figures, with very limited secular representation. The state would then be based on an earlier version of Wahhabism "back to the roots". This will be Taliban country

For those of you that speaks Arabic: http://www.miraserve.com/ and in English: http://www.islah.org/englishnew.htm

I guess that their station is situated in Lithuania at least they have their radio there
http://www.clandestineradio.com/intel/sarabia.htm

[Aquinasfan]

A Saudi opposition group has launched a satellite television channel which its leader said on Thursday could prove a greater threat to Saudi rulers than violence inspired by Osama bin Laden.

Along with the internet, satellite TV also offers the only practical hope for Christianizing the Mohammedan world.