Saudi Arabia has decided to recall its ambassador in Cairo and close its permanent diplomatic missions in Egypt following protests in front of its embassy there, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Saturday. SPA said the protests were marred by “hostile slogans” against the kingdom and the attempts to enter the embassy by force, which is illegal in international law. Last week, Egyptians protested outside the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Cairo to denounce the detention of Egyptian lawyer and human rights activist Ahmed al-Gizawy in Saudi Arabia. Protestors say Gizawy was arrested for his critical views on the kingdom. “The human rights activist used to call for the rights of the Egyptian detainees in the kingdom. He used to criticize the Saudi policy towards the Egyptians in the kingdom,” said a statement by the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights (EOHR). Saudi Arabia, however, said he was arrested for being in possession of drugs. SPA quoted a Saudi government source as saying that the protests led to the disturbance of the work of Saudi diplomatic missions so Riyadh will close its embassy and its consulates in Alexandria and Suez.
