Saudi blogger Fouad al-Farhan has been released from prison after four months detention without charge. In December last year he was arrested after criticising Saudi Arabia's pervasive corruption and highlighting the plight of political prisoners on his blog. His arrest more than proves his point about the use of "security detention" to stifle dissent, though at a high price.
Meanwhile, the Saudi regime is absolutely unrepentant, with the Deputy Interior Minister saying that Al-Farhan had committed a mistake and had to bear the consequences. So, straight from the horse's mouth, criticising the government is a "mistake" worthy of punishment. There really is no freedom of speech in Saudi Arabia.
