Saudi King puts Military on High Alert

Saudi King Abdullah has reportedly ordered the security forces to be on a state of high alert due to what Riyadh considers the tense situation in the Middle East. Reports say King Abdullah has issued the order over what he claims to be “foreign or terrorist attacks.” The decree also warns Saudi security forces against any negligence in following the order. Saudi Arabia is one of the authoritarian states in the Middle East. The country has witnessed anti-regime demonstrations over the past months.

Since February 2011, Saudi protesters have held demonstrations on an almost regular basis in the oil-rich Eastern Province, mainly in the Qatif region and the town of Awamiyah, calling for the release of all political prisoners, freedom of expression and assembly, and an end to widespread discrimination. However, the demonstrations have turned into protests against the Al Saud regime, especially since November 2011, when Saudi security forces killed five protesters and injured many others in the Eastern Province. According to Human Rights Watch, the Saudi regime “routinely represses expression critical of the government.”