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Khashoggi dumped from al-Watan
RIYADH - An editor whose newspaper was in the forefront of a campaign against Muslim extremism was removed from his post Tuesday, managers at the paper said. No reason was given for the dismissal of Jamal Khashoggi, who joined the Al-Watan newspaper in March, one manager said on condition of anonymity. Staffers at the paper said Al-Watan's manager fired Khashoggi but that the decision came from the Information Ministry. Under Saudi press laws, the government approves the hiring and firing of newspaper editors. Newspapers are privately owned but government guided. Al-Watan has run a number of stories, editorials and cartoons critical of extremists and the way in which the country enforces its religious values. The newspaper published many critical articles in the wake of May 12 attacks in Riyadh that killed 34 people, suggesting that Muslim fanaticism, long tolerated in the country, led to terrorism. On Saturday, Khashoggi writing about fanaticism, said: "It's time we treated the affliction and held those who strayed accountable." Many fear the dismissal of Khashoggi, 45, will send a message to other newspapers that the government will no longer tolerate such criticism. A ministry official said only Minister of Information Fuad al-Farsi could comment on the dismissal but that he was not available.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt 2003-05-27 |
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