Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Friday, March 29th, 2024

U.N. Voices Concern over Saudi Arrest of Women’s Rights Activists

U.N. Voices Concern over Saudi  Arrest of Women’s Rights Activists

GENEVA - The United Nations called on Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to provide information about women’s rights activists arrested ahead of the lifting of a ban on women driving that is part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s reform program.
The U.N. human rights office said the government should ensure the women and other campaigners in custody have due process.
The crackdown on women’s rights activists, just weeks before a much-hyped lifting of the has revived doubts about Prince Mohammed approach to reforms in the kingdom.
Nearly a dozen prominent activists, mostly women who for years urged reforms that are now being implemented, were arrested this month, drawing a rare expression of concern from the U.N. human rights office on Tuesday.
Six women and three men are known to remain in custody facing very serious allegations that “could lead to draconian sentences”, U.N. human rights spokeswoman Liz Throssell told a Geneva briefing.
Their exact whereabouts is unknown and most of them have only been permitted to make a single telephone call to their families since they were arrested, she said. (Reuters)