1 August 2018 – On 30 July, Saudi officials arrested prominent human rights defenders and women’s rights activists Samar Badawi and Naseema Alsada. Their arrests were overseen by the Presidency of State Security, Saudi Arabia’s domestic security and intelligence service and a body complicit in numerous human rights abuses, and they signal the Saudi government[…]
17
Jun
Jun
Today marks the fifth anniversary of activist and blogger Raif Badawi’s arbitrary detention in Saudi Arabia. On 17 June 2012, Saudi officials arrested Badawi on charges of apostasy for allegedly insulting Islam in his online publications and establishing the website “Free Saudi Liberals,” a forum for discussion. The Saudi government sentenced Badawi to ten years[…]
16
Jun
Jun
On June 8, Saudi women’s rights activist Manal al Sharif gave an interview with NPR and the next day she wrote an op-ed for the New York Times. In both pieces, she discusses how women cannot drive in the kingdom, the guardianship system that underpins such restrictions, and her activism challenging the societal norm. She[…]
08
Jun
Jun
On 8 June 2017, Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) organized a side event during the UN Human Rights Council’s 35th Session in Geneva. Entitled “Women’s Rights in Saudi Arabia – Civil society, development, and the UN Commission on Women,” the event addressed the potential future role of women in the country’s[…]
01
Nov
Nov
In 2015, Saudi Arabia afforded women the right to vote and stand in municipal elections. The government has also taken steps to open the labor market to more women. Despite these changes, the underlying nature of women’s engagement in Saudi society remains stifled, as Saudi women remain subject to the kingdom’s system of male guardianship,[…]
