Saudi Religious Rights Activist Detained

Amnesty International has called for the release of Saudi Arabian activist Fadhel Maki al-Manasif, who was arrested on October 2. He has reportedly been denied access to legal counsel and his family has been barred from visitation. Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for Middle East and North Africa, stated that “the Saudi Arabian authorities seem determined to stamp out any form of dissent in the country.” Saudi Arabian sources contend that al-Manasif has raised human rights concerns about the treatment of members of Saudi Arabia’s Sh’ia minority, monitoring cases of discrimination and detention of the minority religious group, who have often been held without charges or trials for years.

Meanwhile, Samar Fatany suggests that “the inclusion of women in the Shura Council is a significant first step towards a society where women can assume leadership positions in public life and achieve proper justice, [but] the challenges facing Saudi Arabian women are still overwhelming.”