Professor Madawi Al Rasheed

By Madawi Al-Rasheed

Fear may induce acquiescence. But Saudis still surprise many observers. While their participation in Jihadi adventurism at home and abroad has now become notorious, there is a small minority that does not get enough sound bites, simply because it consists of peaceful political activists who dream about a better future. While they live in the most closed political systems in the Arab world, they are not intimidated by real violence exerted on them by state agencies nor fear of imminent terrorist attacks, by which these agents hope to deter activism and silence daring voices. .