I have received an unconfirmed report that Fouad al-Farhan has been released from jail a few hours ago. Al-Farhan was arrested December 10, 2007 and kept in a Jeddah Dahban prison with daily questioning and solitary confinement over four months without charges. There was talk about torturing but this would be hard to verify since any prisoner could be told that if they love their country they will not reveal their ordeal. It is believed that Al-Farhan was arrested for blogging about justice for political prisoners and honest Islamic values.
During his long jail capture I posted blogs and requests for his release in several places. To my amazement there were people glad that he went to jail because he offended someone. Some people were opposed to peace, understanding your neighbor and tolerance for their beliefs. Some people valued war and murder in the name of their religion. But I will not stereotype people for their race, religion, geography or values. There are people all over the world of many religions or race that I think of as my family and I would love to embrace. Every person can offer some good.
It has been a shocking experience for me to write about Fouad al-Farhan and his arrest. I never imagined that there were people with such fanatic and blind values for love and hate of other human beings. I guess I find this difficult because I value and respect every person around me even if they don't believe as I do. In the situation with al-Farhan I don't know what his beliefs are but I respect him as another person who can have dreams, laugh, feel love for his wife and children and share life with his words.
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