M&C
Jeddah / Cairo, Jan 1: The Saudi Interior Ministry confirmed the arrest Tuesday of a popular blogger.
Fouad al-Farhan, 32, from the coastal city of Jeddah, was taken in on December 10 for 'interrogation for violating non-security regulations,' ministry spokesman Major General Mansour al-Turki was quoted by the Arab News daily as saying.
Al-Turki did not give concrete reasons for the arrest or any other details.
Al-Farhan is the creator and author of the online journal, or blog, Alfarhan.org, and is one of the first Saudis to publish under his own name on the internet.
His journal entries call for democracy in Saudi Arabia, which is ruled by an absolute monarch and adheres to rigid religious regulations.
Friends believe his arrest was prompted by his support of 10 intellectuals critical of the Saudi regime who were arrested at the beginning of last year for supporting terrorist activities.