Arrest of mothers in Saudi intensifies children’s suffering

Sanad Organization for Human Rights said that the arrest of mothers robs the rights of dozens of children in Saudi Arabia in light of the regime’s grave violations of human rights.

The organization said in a statement, “The consequences of arbitrary detention in the prisons of the Saudi authorities continue to expand, affecting the lives of their families, especially children.”

“Children remain the most affected by the consequences of the arbitrary detention of female activists, as they are the weakest group in society, which affects their rights mainly and places the authority to accuse them of violating children’s rights,” it added.

Some 121 activists suffer from arbitrary detention where their rights are violated.

Among the most prominent sons who lost their mothers as a result of arbitrary detention are Al-Mas, daughter of the detainee Samah Al-Nafi’i; Joud, the daughter of the detainee Samar Badawi; Alwiya, the daughter of the detainee Nassima Al-Sada; Batoul, the daughter of the detainee Fatima Al Nassif; Alwiya and Mustafa Awlad of the detainee Nassima, and many others.

Sanad called on the Saudi authorities to respect human and child rights, immediately release mothers who left their children without mothers and compensate them for all consequences of arbitrary detention.

Prisoners of Conscience account said that even after these female prisoners of conscience are released from prison, they are still prohibited from public work and forced to disappear from performing any activities.

It explained that they face a possible prison sentence under the Anti-Cybercrime Law because of their work in human rights.

It is noted that the Saudi women activists who were recently released have entirely disappeared.

Last February, a human rights platform wrote a list of female prisoners of conscience in the prisons of the Al Saud regime.

The “Saudi Women Detainees” platform published on Twitter an updated list of female prisoners of conscience.

The list of female detainees in the Saudi prisons includes Halima Al-Hwaiti, Fatima Al-Nassif, Nassima Al-Sadah, Zana Al-Shehri, Israa Al-Ghomgham, Nouf Abdul Aziz, Aida Al-Ghamdi, Basma Al Saud, Naima Al-Matrod, and Maya Al-Zahrani.

The Saudi regime also arrests Amna Al-Juaid, Suhoud Al-Sharif, Samah Al-Nafi’i, Loujain Al-Hathloul, Khadija Al-Harbi, Amani Al-Zein, Dalal Al-Khalil, Samar Badawi, Maha Al-Rafidi.

The list of detainees includes women in their sixties in addition to young girls in prison.

Among the elderly detainees is Aida Al-Ghamdi, who Ibn Salman detained to blackmail her son.

Systematic Violations

A British website has documented more than 145 human rights violations against women by the Saudi regime since the rule of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman 2017, which belies the repeated allegations of reforms.

The Middle East Monitor website said that the daughter of US President Donald Trump praised two of America’s main allies in the Middle East.

However, it remained silent about the plight of a number of detained women activists and their exposure to torture because of their opposition to the Gulf monarchies.

The site indicated that in the Kingdom, there are 145 violations against women under the effective rule of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Abuses and Torture

The Daily Mail revealed that the Al Saud regime had deliberately committed physical and sexual abuse against female activists detained in the Kingdom’s prisons.

In a 40-page report, human rights lawyer Helena Kennedy stated that the abuses against the detained activists included “sexual acts and kissing in front of interrogators.”

The report confirmed that Saudi women detainees were threatened with rape, suspended from the ceiling, beaten, and subjected to electric shocks.

The report indicated that women activists were asked to perform sexual acts for interrogators and other forms that amount to sexual harassment.

And that at least one activist, Aida Al-Ghamdi, was forced to watch pornographic films.

Sexual Assaults

Lujain al-Hathloul and Iman al-Najfan were also forced to perform sexual acts and kiss interrogators, according to the report.

Loujain had once appeared with Meghan Markle, Prince Harry’s wife, at the first World Youth Congress in Canada and was arrested after she filmed herself driving, violating the ban on Saudi women driving.

To be investigated under the supervision of Saud al-Qahtani, an advisor to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, accused of arranging the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

The report stated that Al-Qahtani threatened Loujain, saying: “I will do what I want, and then I will dismember you and throw you in the bathroom.”