Riyadh: A Saudi Businessman Essam al-Zamel has been arrested on terror charges. Zamel is an economist and a successful businessman. He has expertise in finance. He was arrested along with other Saudi activists, dissidents and scholars a year ago. Recently it has emerged that the self-described “serial entrepreneur” and social media star has been charged with draconian terrorism and treason charges, and possibly faces the death penalty or years in prison.
Madawi al-Rasheed, a London-based Saudi scholar and writer claims that Zamel was arrested because of the fear that he can provide statistics and evidence that debunks Saudi propaganda.
Zamel has been charged with serious offences, including membership of the Ikhwanul Muslimeen (Muslim Brotherhood) and having ties to Qatar. He’s also accused of “inciting and sowing sedition in society,” seeking the violent overthrow of the Saudi regime by calling for protests, and leaking “sensitive” information that could harm national security, as well as violating cyber law by “mobilising his followers on social media.”
Mr Zamel’s supporters who were astonished to know about the accusations against him, wonder how can he be charged with “sedition”, when he actually championed an initiative against sectarianism by encouraging Sunnis to pray at Shia mosques and Shias to pray at Sunni mosques?
Friends and family are very much concerned about his wellbeing as reports have been received that he’s been held in harsh conditions under solitary confinement.
The crime he had committed was he had publicly criticised the Saudi Crown Prince’s ambitious Vision 2030 scheme to evolve the country’s economy beyond petrochemicals. He had warned that the plan to replace expat worker with locals would cause a recession by reducing demand.
Mr Zamel also criticised the Crown Prince’s plan to the take the country’s national oil company, Aramco, public to raise $2 trillion (£1.5bn). To reach such a valuation, Mr Zamel argued, the firm would have to sell off reserves, which he deemed not the property of the company.