All factors signal revolution in Saudi Arabia: Analyst

The director of the Institute for [Persian] Gulf Affairs (IGA) tells Press TV that the ongoing developments across Saudi Arabia signal the outbreak of a popular revolution in the near future.

“All the ingredients and factors of revolution and protest are present in Saudi Arabia. So there is no way that the protests will stop no matter what the government in Saudi Arabia will do,” said Ali al-Ahmed in a Tuesday interview with Press TV.

“We will see national or somewhat of a national protest movement in the country, I think, in the next few months maybe next weeks,” he added.

Ahmed pointed to seven decades of tyrannical rule by Al Saud dynasty, noting, “It is not only the issue of the large number of the prisoners, [and even] the political prisoners in the country. You are talking about high unemployment, high poverty rate, high level of corruption within the ruling family and the ruling class.”

The IGA director pointed to Riyadh’s “typical tactics” aimed at diverting attention from the unfolding events across the kingdom, adding, “They are going to try to stop this protest movement using all kinds of stories and scenarios to blame the outside and to oppress the people of that country.”

Over the past two day, Saudi regime forces raided homes and offices across the capital city of Riyadh, Eastern Province, Mecca and Jeddah, detaining a number of prominent religious scholars, doctors, professors, students and civil workers.

On March 1, Saudi security forces arrested over 300 protesters, including 15 women, after hundreds of people gathered outside the investigation and prosecution bureau in Buraidah to demand the release of political prisoners.

Since February 2011, demonstrators have held anti-regime protest rallies on an almost regular basis in Saudi Arabia, mainly in the Qatif region and the town of Awamiyah in Eastern Province, primarily calling for the release of all political prisoners, freedom of expression and assembly, and an end to widespread discrimination.