Category Archives: Middle East

CNN Subject to Saudi Justice?

20 November 2007 – 23:32

I don’t know if it is related or not. Yesterday I posted in Thomo’s Hole about Saudi Justice and the woman who was ordered to receive lashes even though she was raped by seven men. I also noted that CNN had picked up the story. When I got back to my hotel room this evening [...]

By thomo the lost | Also posted in Saudi Arabia | Comments (1)

Saudi Justice?

19 November 2007 – 23:05

Picture this. Young girl, about 16 years old, has a friendship with a boy. What happened during that friendship is not important really but during that time, the boy took some photos of the girl.
Some time passes. The girl is 18 and gets married. The boy contacts her and says something like “hi, I’ve got [...]

By thomo the lost | Also posted in Saudi Arabia | Comments (1)

Lawrence of Arabia & the Light Horse

12 November 2007 – 9:30

The Australian War Memorial Museum has started a blog to inform folks about their forthcoming exhibition concerning T. E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) and the Australian Light Horse in Palestine in 1917-1918. The exhibition will open in December 2007 in Canberra and run over the summer of 2007-08. I for one will be visiting that [...]

By thomo the lost | Also posted in Asia Pacific, Australia, History, Saudi Arabia | Comments (0)

Al-Huraisi Killing Case: Commission Members Deny All Charges

11 November 2007 – 23:14

I mentioned previously that I would keep updating progress on this trial, involving as it does members of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (the C-Men). Last Tuesday was a hearing day in the trial in Riyadh and proceedings from the trial were printed in the Arab News on [...]

By thomo the lost | Also posted in Saudi Arabia | Comments (2)

It’s Just Done This Way in Saudi Arabia

4 November 2007 – 11:45

A local employer issued the following request, in writing, to its staff:
[complete a dependants form] to support high organizational performance by nurturing a conducive working environment, we are updating the contact details of all employees and their dependents (sic) … to enable us to reach our colleagues at any time, as [they are] needed.
Of course, [...]

By thomo the lost | Also posted in Saudi Arabia | Comments (0)

The C-Men on Trial

1 November 2007 – 10:35

The Arab News reported in an article called Al-Huraisi Murder Trial Begins at Riyadh High Court concerning the start of the trial of two members of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. These people have been charged with the murder of Salman Al-Huraisi during a raid by the muttawa looking [...]

By thomo the lost | Also posted in Saudi Arabia | Comments (0)

And the C-Men are in Court

30 October 2007 – 1:17

The hearing in the Al-Huraisi Murder Case is supposed to start today. You remember this one, it is the one where members of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (the C-Men, or as I like to refer to them, the Ministry of Licentiousness and Lasciviousness - the muttawa) raided the [...]

By thomo the lost | Also posted in Saudi Arabia | Comments (0)

The C-Men Do Some Good

27 October 2007 – 22:08

I tend to spend a fair bit of time here in Thomo’s Hole pointing out the failings and the idiocy of the Commission for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (or as I prefer to think of them, the Ministry of Licentiousness and Lasciviousness - the muttawa). It seems, however, that the C-Men have [...]

By thomo the lost | Also posted in Saudi Arabia | Comments (3)

Censorship in Dubai (United Arab Emirates)

20 October 2007 – 10:54

Back in November last year I wrote about censorship in Saudi Arabia. Well, today I am sitting in the very modern and very commercial city of Dubai - in the airport to be exact. I picked up a new PC in Bangkok last week - yes, a new Widget but more about that in a [...]

By thomo the lost | Also posted in Dubai | Comments (0)

I Went To An Iftar Meal The Other Night

26 September 2007 – 21:37

It was a formal meal the other night. Iftar, the meal that is traditionally had by Muslims after fasting for the day. The sun sets, the azans call, a quick coffee (Arabic) and some dates and things to break the day’s fast, then a second call and Maghreb prayer. Straight after Maghreb it is into [...]

By thomo the lost | Also posted in Saudi Arabia | Comments (0)