Saudi women’s rights activists sexually abused in jail: Report

Women’s rights activists in Saudi Arabia have been tortured and sexually harassed by interrogators while languishing in jail, lacking fair trials, reported Anadolu Agency reported, quoting a recent report.

Titled As A Stain on World Leaders and the G20 Summit in Saudi Arabia: The shameful detention and torture of Saudi women, the report claims female detainees were tortured and forced “to perform sexual acts on the interrogators, and other forms of sexual harassment such as forcing them to watch of pornography.”

Alleged violations were perpetrated against activist Aida Al-Ghamdi who was “forced to watch pornography” as well as Loujain Al-Hathloul and Eman Al-Nafjan who were forced “to kiss and perform other sexual acts on interrogators.”

The report aims to draw the world attention to release women’s rights activists who are being subject to “inhuman and degrading conditions of detention, solitary confinement, and unfair trial processes.”

“As Saudi Arabia prepares to host the 2020 G20 Summit of world leaders in late November, it is vital that the world stands up for those still languishing in Saudi jails,” the report said.

Human rights advocate Kennedy urged world leaders to boycott the summit — held virtually because of the COVID-19 pandemic — to press Saudi Arabia to release the activists.

“World leaders and G20 states should not participate in the G20 Summit in Saudi Arabia in late November unless the detainees are released,” Kennedy said.

The report also urged holding Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman accountable along with figures close to him, including his younger brother Khalid bin Salman and Saud Al-Qahtani, a former advisor to the Saudi royal court, who was implicated in the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.