The imprisoned female activists include Samar Badawi, who campaigned for women’s voting rights and an end to male guardianship laws that require women to obtain permission from a male family member before traveling abroad, obtaining a passport or getting married. But Saudi officials also initially denied Khashoggi had been killed in the consulate in Istanbul.Īn independent Saudi group that monitors human rights in Saudi Arabia, ALQST, reported that two of the detained female activists saw the crown prince’s longtime adviser, Qahtani, in the building where the torture was being carried out. Saudi authorities allegedly administered electric shocks, whipped the women on their thighs, and forced them to hug and kiss, Human Rights Watch said.įollowing the interrogations, the women allegedly showed physical signs of torture, including difficulty walking, uncontrolled shaking of the hands, and red marks and scratches on their faces and necks.
President Donald Trump shakes hands with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Oval Office of the White House on March 20, 2018. The activists were rounded up shortly before the ban was lifted last June.įour of them have been subjected to torture, sexual harassment and sexual assault, according to Human Rights Watch and other rights advocates, which cited informed sources that asked to remain anonymous for fear of reprisal. The long list of political prisoners currently behind bars includes a group of women’s rights activists who pushed for an end to the ban on women driving. His adviser, Qahtani, who oversaw a cyber security office, also played a pivotal role in the repression, rights groups and U.S.
The crown prince, or MBS, has portrayed himself as a visionary reformer but he has shown an intolerance for criticism or independent-minded public figures. The campaign has coincided with the rise of bin Salman in the kingdom’s leadership, culminating with his elderly father, King Salman, naming him crown prince in June 2017.
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