In spite (or perhaps because) of an exceptional statement in the UN Human Rights Council last week [https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2019/03/08/saudi-arabia-for-first-time-openly-criticized-in-un-human-rights-council/] and the backlash from the Khashoggi murder [see also: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2019/03/07/peter-nkanga-awarded-with-inaugural-jamal-khashoggi-award-for-courageous-journalism/], Saudi Arabia intends to put the detained women’s rights activists on trial.
Image captionAmnesty International activists called for the release of activists at the Saudi embassy in Paris last week – Image copyright REUTERS
Those appearing include Loujain al-Hathloul, a prominent figure in the campaign to win Saudi women the right to drive. She was detained last May. Charges they face are said to include supporting “hostile elements” and could carry long prison sentences. As many as 10 women were expected to appear at the criminal court in Riyadh on Wednesday. As well as Ms Hathloul, they include fellow rights activists Aziza al-Yousef, Eman al-Nafjan and Hatoon al-Fassi. Journalists and diplomats have not been allowed to attend the trial.
In the link below you can find BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner’s analysis of decades of human rights issues in the country. Saudi Arabia has an enduring problem with human rights and, sadly, the case of the detained women activists is only the tip of the iceberg…………
Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards 
March 15, 2019 at 11:48
[…] Saudi Arabia persist with trial for women human rights defenders […]
March 18, 2019 at 15:27
[…] Alia al-Hathloul says that al-Qahtani attended several such sessions to torture her sister. He also threatened to kill Loujain and throw her body into the sewers, Alia says. According to the newspaper, the women were beaten, subjected to electric shocks, waterboarding, and threatened with death and rape during the interrogations. Loujain’s sister says that at first the Saudi authorities did not send the arrested women to jail, but in a secret location in the Red Sea city of Jeddah. According to US intelligence assessment, the brutal interrogations prompted university professor al-Najfan to attempt suicide. [see also: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2019/03/13/saudi-arabia-persist-with-trial-for-women-human-rights…%5D […]
March 28, 2019 at 23:15
[…] Media just reported that Saudi Arabia has temporarily released three female human rights defenders facing charges related to human rights work and contacting foreigners. Two sources told Reuters that three women had been released, and more would be freed on Sunday.[see: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2019/03/13/saudi-arabia-persist-with-trial-for-women-human-rights-…%5D […]
October 23, 2020 at 10:18
[…] Currently, 13 women’s rights defenders remain on trial facing prosecution for their human rights activism. Several face charges of contacting foreign media or international organizations, including Amnesty International. Some were also accused of “promoting women’s rights” and “calling for the end of the male guardianship system”. See also: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2019/03/13/saudi-arabia-persist-with-trial-for-women-human-rights-… […]