Saudi Arabia Prepares To Prosecute Women’s Rights Activists

By Staff, The Independent

Saudi Arabia is moving to prosecute a group of women’s rights activists who have been detained for several months, Saudi state news agency announced.

The Saudi public prosecutor is thought to be preparing the trials of nine people arrested in June last year on alleged ‘suspicion of harming the country’s interests and offering support to hostile elements abroad.’

The group comprised five men and four women.

At the time of their detention international rights groups reported that at least 11 prominent activists, mostly women, were arrested.

They had previously campaigned for the right to drive and an end to the kingdom’s male guardianship system.

Some were later released, but activists said that several of the women were held in solitary confinement for months and faced torture and physical harassment.

A Saudi official claimed the allegations of mistreatment and torture of the female detainees were “false ... And have no connection to the truth”.

Dozens of other activists, intellectuals and clerics have been arrested separately in an apparent bid to stamp out opposition to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.