Saudi authorities arrested Lebanese composer Samir Sfeir five days ago, Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar reported on Tuesday.

He was arrested upon his arrival in the Kingdom after he was invited by an official in Riyadh, according to the paper.

Al-Akhbar quoted well-informed sources as saying that the Lebanese Foreign Ministry contacted the Saudi Embassy in Beirut over the issue.

Sfeir’s wife was then allowed to visit him. However, she was then denied access to see him, the sources said.

“Until Monday night, the Saudi authorities have not been responding to Lebanese request to know the fate of Sfeir the reasons behind his arrest.

Earlier on Monday, local media reported that Sfeir had been out of news in Saudi Arabia for 5 days.

Sfeir is also a political activist who is close to President Michel Aoun and known for his positions. His arrest brings back to the memory the horrible crime against Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi who was slaughtered and dismembered in the Saudi Consulate in Turkey in October 2018.

Saudi’s black history is plentiful. Lebanese people till now remember the well-known abduction of former premier Saad Hariri in November 2017. The Lebanese PM was forced to offer resignation in an attempt by Riyadh to make a change in the Lebanese political scene.

Source: Lebanese media