Saudi minister slams Arab Spring revolutions

RIYADH (AA) - A Saudi minister on Saturday warned against revolutions that lead to the “usurpation of power”, according to the official SPA news agency.

Speaking at a meeting of Saudi preachers in Riyadh, Minister of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance, Abdullatif bin Abdulaziz Al Sheikh, warned against revolutions carried out by "sedition seekers".

The minister went on to particularly criticize "uprisings falsely named the Arab Spring revolutions."

"These revolutions are deadly and poisonous to the Arab Muslim man," Al Sheikh said, adding that such uprisings bring destruction to the country and the people.

"This is all because of sedition seekers and those who will exploit religion to seize power," he said, going on to call for renouncing such ideas and urged everyone in the society to unite together in favor of security of the homeland.

By the end of 2018, eight Arab countries witnessed protests against deteriorating economic conditions amid calls for higher standards of living. In a few cases, demonstrators have articulated political demands.

The protests -- seen in Sudan, Morocco, Libya, Tunisia, Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan and Algeria – coincided with the eighth anniversary of the “Arab Spring” uprisings, which kicked off in Tunisia and several other countries in 2011.

Some Arab demonstrators have drawn inspiration from the ongoing “yellow vest” protests in France, which began in November to protest tax increases on fuel, along with other grievances.