JEDDAH, 20 September 2005 — A turning point in the case of the defeated candidates in April’s municipal elections was reached yesterday in a hearing at the court of grievance. The candidates filed a lawsuit questioning the legality of the elections. They contended that some candidates, known as the “Golden List” won the elections only because of approval by certain religious scholars.
The court was awaiting a response from the Appeals Committee of the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs concerning the elections. The response that came yesterday from the deputy minister for planning and programming at the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs surprised the court. It said the ministry had nothing to do with the appeals committee and that such a committee was not a part of the ministry. The court of grievance’s response was to send another summons to the Appeals Committee, directing it to appear at the next hearing scheduled for Nov. 15.
A spokesman for the defeated candidates, Ehab Al-Solaimani, interpreted the deputy minister’s decision as an unconsidered one. He said the candidates felt sure that the deputy minister’s statement was not approved by Prince Miteb, minister of municipal and rural affairs. The candidates emphasized that they had not filed the suit because of their defeat but rather to exercise the “democratic rights” granted to them under the Saudi judicial system.
In a second similar case that is scheduled for hearing in Ramadan, the defeated candidates have filed a suit, alleging slander by one of the winners who was on the “Golden List.” The defendant, Dr. Abdul Rahman Yamani, made the following statement to Agence France Presse: “Saudis are religious people and secular individuals are unacceptable in our society.”
The candidates, on the other hand, said they were all Muslims and they did not consider themselves part of any “liberal group” in the Kingdom.
Last Saturday in a summary court hearing, Basem A’alem, Dr. Yamani’s attorney, asked the judge to transfer the case to the Ministry of Information and Culture because in such cases, the decision of the summary court is often reversed by the appeals court.
A’alem’s memo to the judge — which Arab News has a copy of — is divided into two parts. In the first, he explains his reasons for asking that the case be transferred to the Ministry of Information and Culture. In the second, he presents his argument against the plaintiffs’ claims.
“Although I asked the judge to consider transferring the case, I was still prepared to defend my client as proof of our good will and to avoid being blamed for stalling the hearing,” A’alem explained. The judge has agreed to postpone the hearing to the second week of Ramadan. He will then announce whether he will hear the case in the summary court or transfer it to the ministry.
Al-Solaimani, the plaintiffs’ spokesman, said that from what is in the memo of Dr. Yamani’s lawyer, it is clear that Dr. Yamani referred to the plaintiffs as “secular.” Despite this, when called by Arab News two weeks ago, Dr. Yamani denied making such a statement. Al-Solaimani also added that he believed the case will be heard in the summary court since it was originally filed there.
In the defense of his client, A’alem said that Dr. Yamani was exercising his freedom of speech and that he had not named any one specifically. “The defeated candidates are just trying to create a media stir,” A’alem commented.
