#ALQST

[galerymod]

Attention, this is not a joke but a killing joke,

Saudi Arabia takes over chairmanship of UN Commission on the Status of Women - human rights activists appalled.

Louis Charbonneau of Human Rights Watch made it clear on X (formerly Twitter): "Saudi Arabia's election to head the UN Commission on the Status of Women shows a shocking disregard for women's rights everywhere." A country that already imprisons women for fighting for women's rights has no right to such a post, Charbonneau continued.

He also criticised the other countries in the Commission for not preventing the change. "If everyone had stood up straight, this wouldn't have happened. But everyone kept quiet."

How can something like this go so wrong?

Abdulaziz Alwasil, Saudi Arabia's UN envoy, will be the chairman. According to the Guardian, none of the envoys from 45 countries raised any objections to his nomination at the CSW's annual meeting. There were also no opposing candidates.

The Philippines actually held the chairmanship for two years. However, other members from Asia had urged the country to hand over the seat after one year. Bangladesh had actually been intended as the successor, but instead Saudi Arabia pushed its way to the top with a lot of lobbying.

Let's put it plainly: everyone has let themselves be bought by a world of greed and corruption! That's what the nice, generous Saudis love. They simply buy influence and culture, football, golf, ...... pukes sorry

Saudi Arabia is trying to polish up its image to the outside world with reforms such as allowing women to drive.

What a charade, makeup on the ugly face of the unjust state.

Hooray, the goat has been declared a garden.

And they are about to prove to the saudis what they think of women's rights.

Completely nothing

Case: Manahil al-Utaibi

Fitness trainer faces eleven years in prison in Saudi Arabia

There have been some makeup reforms in Saudi Arabia recently. The country wants to appear cosmopolitan. At the same time, critics are silenced with long prison sentences. The case of a young fitness trainer is apparently no exception.

According to human rights activists, a female activist in Saudi Arabia has been sentenced to eleven years in prison for her choice of clothing and support for women's rights. Manahil al-Utaibi was sentenced in January - more than a year after her arrest - by a special court for terrorism, the organisation Amnesty International announced on Tuesday evening.

The accusations against the 29-year-old fitness trainer related to her clothing and her calls on social networks to end the male guardianship system in the kingdom. She had also published videos of herself without the traditional Abaja overdress.

Saudi Arabia's government confirmed the arrest in December following an enquiry into the case by a UN special rapporteur. Al-Utaibi had been convicted of "terror offences", it said. The country's laws would protect the right to freedom of expression unless actions could "violate or exceed the limits of public order or social norms".

The last sentence immediately made us think of George Orwell! Freedom of expression with limits is good!

Amnesty International and the human rights organisation ALQST urged the kingdom to release Al-Utaibi immediately and unconditionally. According to them, she was physically and psychologically abused in detention following her arrest in November 2022. In addition, she was held in an unknown location for several months.

Well, chairmanship of UN Commission on the Status of Women

How is the status of Al-Utaibi ?

One of the representatives of nice Mohammed bin Salman, who simply had a journalist killed and dismembered in Turkey.

Shit, nobody would believe that in a novel, if you want to write a novel like that at all.

The new human injustice game for women's rights only. Now new from the nice grinning man who rules Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia rights vs women's rights

The New Game

There is only one dice with over all one on it for the women

A stack of cards with a card for women on it say go to jail for a long time and lose your wife and even your bonus human rights.

The Saudis always have one more bonus card when they need it where it says we always win.

A board of politicians, police, special courts, torturers, prison and just an absolute terrorist suspect wife.

Start of the game: The woman catches and does something really stupid she thinks she's women right, and Saudi Arabia wins.

Game idea from the makers I have a journalist killed in Turkey and nobody can catch me : Moammed bin Salman.

[saddayfordemocracy]

Three Men Sentenced To Death In Saudi Arabia For Resisting "Displacements" In Neom Project.

Three men have been sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia for resisting "displacements" in Neom project site by Saudi Arabia’s Specialised Criminal Court (SCC), according to a report by ALQST, an independent human rights organization.

The organization reported that the three men, Shadli al-Huwaiti, Ibrahim al-Huwaiti and Ataullah al-Huwaiti, had been sentenced to death on October 2 after being "forcibly evicted and displaced to make way for the Neom mega project".

The $500 billion Neom mega project is currently under construction in the Tabuk Province of northwestern Saudi Arabia.

The three men were convicted on 2 October by Saudi Arabia’s Specialised Criminal Court for organizing against the forced eviction program of the local people who criticized the $500 billion Neom mega project and came into force to pave the way for its construction.

According to ALQST, "even before the April 2020 killing of Abdul Rahim al-Huwaiti, other members of the Huwaitat tribe had been arrested for refusing to be evicted from their homes, and others have been arrested since."

"Some have been sentenced to extraordinary prison terms: Abdullah and Abdulilah al-Huwaiti were each sentenced in August 2022 to 50 years," said ALQST.

The three men are members of the Huwaitat tribe, a tribe has largely given up nomadic lifestyle and live in villages.

"These shocking sentences once again show the Saudi authorities' callous disregard for human rights, and the cruel measures they are prepared to take to punish members of the Huwaitat tribe for legitimately protesting against forced eviction from their homes," said ALQST's Head of Events Abdullah Aljuraywi.

The organization reported that Ibrahim al-Huwaiti, one of the members of the group, was one of the local residents' delegation in Tabuk province that met with Saudi government officials in 2020 to secure the Neom land.

Ataullah al-Huwaiti's conviction is also reported to be the reason of being seen "in several videos talking about the misery his family and all the other displaced residents were facing as a result of the decision to evict them".

Repotedly, "Shadli al-Huwaiti is the brother of Abdul Rahim al-Huwaiti, shot dead by security forces in April 2020 in his home in Al-Khariba," the group added.

"ALQST categorically rejects the death sentences"

"What these examples all demonstrate are the arbitrary and despotic methods by which the Saudi authorities pursue their plans, with no respect for people’s rights to decent housing, and without those who wish to raise complaints having any recourse to justice. Not only are the authorities persisting in this course, but they are now going even further by sentencing to death those who object to their unjust decisions or complain about the consequences," said ALQST.

The group added that "ALQST categorically rejects the death sentences passed on Shadli, Ataullah and Ibrahim al-Huwaiti – and use of the death penalty in principle – as well as the lengthy prison sentences handed down earlier on Abdullah and Abdulilah, and it calls for pressure on the Saudi authorities to quash these unjust sentences."

"It also has grave fears concerning the increasingly harsh approach the Saudi authorities are taking toward members of the Huwaitat tribe detained for resisting eviction from their homes," added the group.

Saudi Arabia builds 170-kilometre-long mirrored skyscraper: The Line

A 100-mile-long (170-kilometre) linear city, known as The Line, is being built as part of Neom project in the Tabuk Province of northwestern Saudi Arabia which will incorporate smart technologies.

Alongside The Line proejct, another mega project, called Trojena, offers a series of facilities designed by world-renowned architects, including Zaha Hadid Architects, UNStudio, German architecture firm LAVA, global architecture firm Aedas, Australian architecture studio Bureau Proberts.

Currently, Saudi Arabian artist and photography company Ot Sky revealed a drone video from the construction of The Line.

[sule-skerry]

I've read a few articles about why NEOM is a bad idea but I'm a bit mad that none of them bothered to mention that there are already people living there who will be forced off the land so Mister Bone Saw can build his city of the future.

Saudi Arabia has quietly sentenced three indigenous men to death after they refused to move out of their homes to make way for the new futuristic city of NEOM, a pet project of the kingdom’s young Crown Prince, according to a UK-based rights group.  

The three members of the Howeitat tribe were given death sentences by Saudi Arabia’s special courts on the 2nd of October 

The men were first arrested in 2020 for protesting against being evicted from their homeland, which will be the setting for NEOM, a sprawling, $500 billion mega-project.

ALQST, an independent group monitoring human rights in Saudi Arabia, reported that Shadli, Attaullah and Ibrahim al-Howeitat – of the Howeitat tribe from the northern Tabuk province – were sentenced to death earlier this month at a Saudi criminal court. In September, other Howeiti people were sentenced to 50 years in prison by Saudi Arabia's Specialised Criminal Court, which tries terror-related cases, but it is mainly used to charge human rights activists and dissidents in the oil-rich kingdom. 

[...]

Those who spoke out against the compensation scheme were quickly silenced. The country, which has zero tolerance for public dissent, has cracked down on people voicing concern and arrested an estimated 150 members of the community of 20,000. The Howeitat people live in small villages and towns in the northwest of Saudi Arabia. 

[humanistisch]

Manahel al-Otaibi: Saudische Frauenrechtsaktivistin zu elf Jahren Haft verurteilt

Zwei Menschenrechtsgruppen haben die elfjährige Haftstrafe angeprangert, die ein Terrorismusgericht gegen eine saudi-arabische Fitnesstrainerin und Frauenrechtlerin verhängt hat. Die 29-jährige Manahel al-Otaibi sei in Anklagepunkten schuldig gesprochen worden, die mit ihrer Kleidung und ihren Äußerungen im Internet zu tun hätten, so teilten Amnesty International und ALQST mit. Dazu gehörten Forderungen nach einem Ende des Vormundschaftssystems und Videos von ihr beim Einkaufen ohne Abaya, fügten sie hinzu. Saudische Diplomaten teilten den Vereinten Nationen mit, sie sei „terroristischer Verbrechen“ für schuldig befunden worden. Ein Schreiben der Vertretung des sunnitisch-muslimisch regierten Golf-Königreichs in Genf bestätigte, dass der Prozess gegen Manahel al-Otaibi im Januar mit ihrer Verurteilung zu Ende gegangen sei. Weitere Einzelheiten zu dem Fall wurden jedoch nicht genannt. In den vergangenen zwei Jahren wurden in Saudi-Arabien Dutzende Menschen, darunter viele Frauen, wegen ihrer Posts in sozialen Netzwerken inhaftiert. - Saudische Frau wegen Online-Posts zu 45 Jahren Haft verurteilt - Große Sorge um saudischen Studenten, der wegen Tweets inhaftiert wurde Amnesty International und ALQST, eine saudische Menschenrechtsorganisation mit Sitz in London, sagten, Manahel al-Otaibi sei eine frühe Unterstützerin der sozialen und wirtschaftlichen Reformen gewesen, die Kronprinz Mohammed bin Salman einführte, nachdem er 2017 von seinem Vater König Salman zum Thronfolger ernannt worden war. Zwei Jahre später sagte sie der Deutschen Welle, sie könne anziehen, was sie wolle und ihre Meinung sagen. Ihr Verhalten basiere auf den Worten des Kronprinzen, „dass ich das Recht habe zu wählen, was ich tragen möchte, solange es anständig ist“. https://twitter.com/ALQST_En/status/1785348155308913042?ref_src=twsrctfwtwcamptweetembedtwterm1785348155308913042twgr19be70193d2fd0447b3832eb2b07ab59cf81dab4twcons1_c10&ref_url=httpswww.bbc.comnewsworld-middle-east-68934913 Im November 2022 wurde sie im Zuge eines verschärften Vorgehens gegen abweichende Meinungen im Internet wegen Terrorismusvorwürfen festgenommen. ALQST sagte, sie sei zunächst wegen Verstößen gegen das Gesetz zur Bekämpfung von Internetkriminalität angeklagt worden. Dazu gehörten „die Opposition gegen Gesetze, die Frauen betreffen, wie das System der männlichen Vormundschaft und das Hijab-Gesetz“, „die Teilnahme an mehreren Hashtags, die sich gegen diese Gesetze richten“, „das Vorhandensein mehrerer Fotos und Videoclips in unanständiger Kleidung auf Konten“ und „das Betreten von Geschäften ohne Abaya, das Fotografieren und Posten auf Snapchat“. Im Rahmen des männlichen Vormundschaftssystems in Saudi-Arabien ist der Vater, Bruder, Ehemann oder Sohn einer Frau befugt, in ihrem Namen wichtige Entscheidungen über Heirat, Scheidung und ihre Kinder zu treffen. Gegen ihre Schwester Fawzia wurden ähnliche Anschuldigungen erhoben, aber sie floh im selben Jahr aus Saudi-Arabien, nachdem sie zu einem Verhör vorgeladen worden war, fügte ALQST hinzu. Drei Monate nach ihrer Verhaftung wurde Manahel al-Otaibis Fall an das Sonderstrafgericht (SCC) verwiesen. Nach Angaben von Menschenrechtsgruppen wird das Sonderstrafgericht für Terrorismus auch zur Verfolgung friedlicher Dissidenten eingesetzt und ist berüchtigt für Verstöße gegen faire Gerichtsverfahren und die Verhängung harter Strafen. Am 9. Januar wurde sie vom Gericht für schuldig befunden und zu elf Jahren Haft verurteilt. Das Urteil wurde jedoch erst am 25. Januar in einem Brief der saudi-arabischen Mission an das UN-Hochkommissariat für Menschenrechte bekannt gegeben. In dem Schreiben heißt es, das Gericht habe sie der „terroristischen Straftaten“ gemäß Artikel 43 und 44 des Antiterrorgesetzes für schuldig befunden. Das Gesetz sieht Strafen für „jede Person, die eine Website oder ein Programm auf einem Computer oder einem elektronischen Gerät erstellt, startet oder verwendet, um zu begehen“ und für „jede Person, die Nachrichten, Erklärungen, falsche oder böswillige Gerüchte oder Ähnliches in irgendeiner Weise verbreitet oder veröffentlicht, um eine terroristische Straftat zu begehen“ vor. In dem Schreiben wurde betont, dass das Gericht „alle gegen sie vorliegenden Beweise in voller Übereinstimmung mit den internationalen Verpflichtungen Saudi-Arabiens“ geprüft habe. „Die Regierung möchte betonen, dass die Ausübung und Verteidigung von Rechten nach saudischem Recht kein Verbrechen darstellt. Die Handlungen von Terroristen als Ausübung oder Verteidigung von Rechten zu rechtfertigen, ist jedoch inakzeptabel und stellt einen Versuch dar, terroristische Verbrechen zu legitimieren“, heißt es in dem Schreiben weiter. Lina al-Hathloul, Leiterin der Interessenvertretung der ALQST, sagte, Manahel al-Otaibi habe „das Vertrauen, frei handeln zu können, als positive Werbung für Mohammed bin Salmans vielgepriesene Behauptung empfunden, er wolle die Frauenrechtsreformen im Land anführen“. „Stattdessen haben die saudischen Behörden durch ihre Verhaftung und die Verhängung dieser unerhörten Strafe einmal mehr die Willkür und Widersprüchlichkeit ihrer so genannten Reformen und ihre anhaltende Entschlossenheit, die Frauen Saudi-Arabiens zu kontrollieren, offenbart“, sagte sie. Read the full article

[rfo-ona]

Суд в Саудовской Аравии тайно приговорил фемактивистку к 11 годам тюрьмы

В последнее время государство активно пытается улучшить международный имидж Саудовской Аравии: они вкладывают много денег в спорт и развлечения, сделали некоторые послабления, улучшившие положение женщин. Тем не менее ситуация далека от сказочной.

Во вторник правозащитные организации Amnesty International и ALQST в своём заявлении отметили, что саудовское правительство посадило за последние два года множество инакомыслящих. В частности они рассказали о тайном приговоре, который в начале нынешнего года был вынесен 29-летней фитнес-инструкторке и фемактивистке Манахель Аль-Отайби (на фото). Узнать о нём удалось лишь благодаря формальному ответу Саудовской Аравии на запрос, поступивший из правозащитного офиса ООН.

Манахель арестовали в ноябре 2022 года за посты в соцсетях, призывающие отменить в стране законы о мужской опеке над женщинами и принуждение к ношению абайи. Девушку поместили в столичную тюрьму Малаз. С этого момента Аль-Отайби подвергалась физическому и психологическому насилию. Её тайно допрашивали, изводили, избивали. С ноября 2023 по апрель 2024 Манахель просто пропала — даже семья не знала, где находится девушка и что с ней делают. 14 апреля активистке разрешили связаться с родными. Женщина сообщила, что её держали в одиночной камере и сломали ногу. В медицинской помощи заключённой отказывали.

9 января секретный спецсуд приговорил Манахель Аль-Отайби к 11 годам тюрьмы по обвинению в… терроризме. Саудовское государство часто обвиняет в терроризме диссидентов/к, борющихся за права человека.

Фоз, сестра Манахель, покинула страну в 2022 году после того, как её вызвали на допрос. Сейчас она обращается к политикам/ессам, журналист(к)ам и селебрити, которые сотрудничают с Саудовской Аравией, к иностранным футболистам, которые там играют, и болельщикам/цам европейских футбольных клубов, которыми владеют саудовские олигархи. Она спрашивает, не жмёт ли им помогать отбеливать репутацию Саудовской Аравии в то время, как её сестру пытают и держат в застенках.

Авторство фото: Fayez Nureldine (AFP, 2019)

[jhavelikes]

Al-Otaibi, a certified fitness instructor and artist who frequently promoted female empowerment on her social media accounts, was arrested in November 2022. Among other charges, Otaibi was accused by Saudi authorities of using a hashtag – translated to #societyisready – to call for an end to male guardianship rules. Her sister, Fouz al-Otaibi was also accused of not wearing decent clothing but was able to flee Saudi Arabia before her arrest. Another sister, Maryam, is a known women’s rights advocate who was detained, held, and eventually released in 2017 for protesting guardianship rules. Amnesty International and ALQST, a rights group, called on Saudi authorities to immediately and unconditionally release al-Otaibi and said her imprisonment “directly contradicts authorities’ narrative of reform and women’s empowerment”.

Saudi Arabia activist sentenced to 11 years in prison for ‘support’ of women’s rights | Saudi Arabia | The Guardian

[cobreja88]

Neom Parking Review

Neom, which stands for "New and Mustaqbal (Arabic for Future), promises its visitors "better humans, better society" in its virgin region of vast desert expanses and deep blue lagoons. But behind the scenes is another tale: one in which there is an ongoing campaign to water down international climate commitments and weaken their language. Parking Options NEOM (or New Energy of the Future), being built by Saudi Arabia under its Vision 2030 plan to diversify its economy and become less dependent on oil, is an ultra-smart city being constructed as part of Saudi's efforts to diversify its economy away from oil dependency. Home to over one million people and powered by solar, wind, and batteries - some have raised concerns regarding human rights record, but others suggest smart cities should be judged on individual merits rather than geography - this city should be completed by 2030 - two years before light rail opens in West Seattle and nine years before Ballard! Security Neom, the massive development project Saudi Arabia hopes will catapult it forward, has made many claims regarding sustainability and livability; however, numerous concerns have been raised that threaten its viability, including human rights abuses and security risks. Neom's construction site is situated in a region once home to the Al-Huwaiti tribe, who were forcibly removed to make way for this project. Due to this controversy surrounding Neom, some companies may rethink their involvement while human rights organization ALQST has called upon all businesses involved with development to consider their corporate responsibilities. Notable also is that the project has been constructed on land that was once a desert and mountain range, enabling much of the city to use renewable energy sources that will reduce the carbon footprint of development. Although this development aims to be sustainable, some critics fear that it could become an oppressive prison. They worry that its control by the Saudi government and use of sophisticated Chinese surveillance technology could result in residents being subjected to further surveillance; which raises grave human rights concerns given Saudi Arabia's track record in this area. Payment Options Neom offers several payment options besides cash for parking, such as M-Mawaqif payment machines and rechargeable cards, or coin payment via the Darb app/M-Mawaqif website - such tickets allow users to prepay exactly for how long they plan to park as opposed to being subject to the maximum three-hour limit. The city will focus on "walkability", with essential daily services, such as schools and medical clinics, expected to be within five-minute walking distance from residents' neighborhoods. High-speed transit services may also be provided to enable long-distance travel. Critics are concerned by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's plans to create a futuristic city governed by user data, as it raises fears that Saudi Arabia could use this information for surveillance. Furthermore, Freedom House awarded Saudi Arabia with 7/100 on their human rights index score while Amnesty International listed 10 ways in which Saudi violates citizens' rights; such concerns have likely contributed to some criticism of NEOM among Western investors and esports fans alike. Customer Service Neom Parking offers passengers an array of customer service options at airports. Their goal is to deliver exceptional service that enhances the airport experience, including assistance with baggage, special needs services, and other offerings. In addition, their free mobile app allows easy access to information and updates relating to flights; users can track their statuses while receiving notifications about them. This company operates from multiple locations, including its main hub in Houston and Nederland in Colorado. Their team consists of experienced professionals who can assist with various needs ranging from booking flights and accommodations, passport applications, and travel documents as well as competitive pricing with various amenities provided. Although NEOM is intended to be an idyllian city, many concerns have been voiced over its sustainability and liveability. The city will use 100% renewable energy sources and be carbon neutral; its focus will be walkability over automobiles; residents will have all of their daily needs within five-minute walking distance in each neighborhood; high-speed transit services will link all areas. It was conceptualized by Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and spans 26,500 sq km on the Red Sea coastline. Resources: Social Media Body (Click Here to Unlock Your Social Media Supremacy) Article Forge (Click Here and try the Most Affordable, Unique Human-like Articles Writing Platform) Entre Institute (Click Here to Find the Secret to Become Millionaire) GetResponse (Click here to try the Best Email Marketing Platform For a Huge Discount)  Hostinger (Click Here to Start with One of the Best Webhosting Solutions at a Huge Discount) Pictory (Click Here to try the Easiest Video Creation Tool for Content Marketers) Fiverr (Click Here to Find the Perfect Freelance Services for Your Business Honest Loans (Click Here to Sustain Your Business With More Founds) Read the full article

[l8in]

According to ALQST yesterday, a rights group which documents human rights abuses in Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Specialised Criminal Court issued the sentence for 18-year-old Manal al-Gafiri in August. She was reportedly 17 at the time of her arrest for tweeting in support of political prisoners in the kingdom.

[forexdigitalinfo]

Mohammed al-Ghamdi foi julgado em Julho pelo Tribunal Penal Especializado, um tribunal criado em 2008 para lidar com casos relacionados com o terrorismo, mas também amplamente utilizado para julgar dissidentes políticos e activistas dos direitos humanos.As acusações contra ele incluíam conspiração contra líderes sauditas, minando instituições estatais e apoiando a ideologia terrorista, segundo fontes familiarizadas com o caso.As autoridades do Reino não responderam aos pedidos de comentários. Segundo Saeed al-Ghamdi, irmão de Mohammed e activista exilado, o caso baseou-se, pelo menos em parte, em mensagens publicadas na rede social X (antigo Twitter) que criticavam o governo e expressavam apoio a “prisioneiros de consciência”, como os clérigos Salman. al-Awda e Awad al-Qarni.A conta de Mohammed al-Ghamdi na rede X, no entanto, tinha apenas nove assinantes, segundo o Centro do Golfo para os Direitos Humanos.“Os tribunais sauditas estão a intensificar a sua repressão e a esvaziar falsas promessas de reforma”, disse Lina al-Hathloul, oficial de comunicações do grupo de direitos humanos ALQST, com sede em Londres.“Como pode o mundo acreditar que o país está a reformar, quando um cidadão será decapitado por tweets numa conta anónima com menos de dez seguidores?”, questionou.A rica monarquia do Golfo é um dos países com o uso mais difundido da pena capital. Pelo menos 147 pessoas foram executadas na Arábia Saudita em 2022 e 94 desde o início deste ano, segundo um balanço da AFP.A mídia estatal não especifica o método de execução, mas a decapitação tem sido frequentemente utilizada no passado.Sob a liderança do seu poderoso príncipe herdeiro Mohammed bin Salman, a Arábia Saudita embarcou num ambicioso programa de reformas destinadas a transformar o reino ultraconservador num destino global de negócios e turismo.Mas o país tem sido frequentemente criticado pelo seu historial em matéria de direitos humanos, especialmente depois de duras penas de prisão proferidas no ano passado a duas mulheres que publicaram mensagens críticas nas redes sociais.O clima político está “poluído pela repressão, terror e prisões políticas pela simples expressão de uma opinião, mesmo através de tweets ou de likes em tweets críticos”, disse Saeed al-Ghamdi. Editor: DC

[dertaglichedan]

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A Saudi court has sentenced a man to death over his posts on X, formerly known as Twitter, and his activity on YouTube, the latest in a widening crackdown on dissent in the kingdom that has drawn international criticism.

The judgement against Mohammed bin Nasser al-Ghamdi, seen Wednesday by The Associated Press, comes against the backdrop of doctoral student Salma al-Shehab and others facing decadeslong prison sentences over their comments online.

The sentences appear part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s wider effort to stamp out any defiance in the kingdom as he pursues massive building projects and other diplomatic deals to raise his profile globally.

“Al-Ghamdi’s death sentence over tweets is extremely horrific but stands in line with the Saudi authorities’ escalating crackdown,” said Lina Alhathloul, the head of monitoring and advocacy at the London-based advocacy group ALQST.

[melbournenewsvine]

Tribesmen sentenced to death for resisting huge futuristic Saudi city

Jerusalem: Three tribesmen in Saudi Arabia have been sentenced to death for refusing to leave their homes to make way for a future $700 billion mega-city. Al-Shazly, Ibrahim and Atta Allah Al-Huwaiti were sentenced to death last week after being imprisoned in 2020 for complaining about the development known as NEOM, according to activists in exile. Still from a promotional video on neom.com about the city of Neom and the line in Saudi Arabia. It is understood that one of the men posted messages on social media in which he refused to accept compensation for leaving homes on their land. “On October 2, the Specialized Criminal Court sentenced Al-Shazly, Atta Allah, and Ibrahim Saleh Al-Hwaiti to death,” the Saudi human rights organization ALQST wrote on Twitter. Family members were arrested in 2020 for opposing the eviction to make way for NEOM. “We condemn the sentences and call for their release.” Announced in 2017, NEOM is Prince Mohammed’s plan to transform a remote part of the country into a high-tech, semi-autonomous state that reimagines urban living.attributed to him:AP Alia Abu Taya Al-Huwaiti, a relative of the convicted men in London, also called for their release. For three months they went on a hunger strike in prison and the government tried to get them to get their Twitter passwords, but they refused, resulting in a death sentence without any evidence of them. Just to clear the Al-Huwaitat tribe from Neom. Source link Originally published at Melbourne News Vine

[allthecanadianpolitics]

Friends and supporters of a women’s rights activist jailed in Saudi Arabia rallied in support of her at the Vancouver Art Gallery on Wednesday.

Loujain al-Hathloul, who attended UBC from 2009-2014, was taken into custody on May 15 along with nine other women’s rights activists, three of whom have since been released.

Al-Hathloul is being held in solitary confinement and has been denied access to a lawyer or family members. She was arrested mid-afternoon in her home, according to Alqst, a London-based Saudi human rights group, and accused of “suspicious contact with foreign parties,” as well as threatening Saudi Arabian security and stability.

“I was shocked when I heard,” said Al-Hathloul’s friend Amna Awan, before taking part in the rally Wednesday. “I had no idea she’d been arrested again.

“Our goal is to free Loujain and the other activists, as well.”

Continue Reading.

[sequelscreen]

Saudi Arabia investigates girls' orphanage beating video

Saudi authorities say they have opened an investigation after videos posted online appeared to show security forces beating teenage girls at an orphanage.

In the unverified footage, police and officials in plainclothes are purportedly seen raiding the Social Education House in Khamis Mushait.

One official seems to drag a screaming girl by her hair along the ground, while a policeman hits her with a belt.

Other girls are shown being chased and beaten with wooden sticks.

The circumstances and the timing of the incident were not clear, but a Twitter user who claimed she edited the videos wrote that the girls had been staging a "strike against corruption and injustice" after they "demanded their rights from the orphanage and were rejected".

She later posted photographs showing what she said were bruises some of the girls had sustained in the raid and alleged that a senior official had threatened them if the videos were not taken down from social media.

Human rights activists and dissidents expressed outrage at the footage after it emerged on Tuesday night, while the hashtag "Khamis_Mushait_Orphans" began trending on Twitter in Saudi Arabia.

The UK-based rights group ALQST said the footage was "disturbing" and that Saudi authorities "must hold the perpetrators accountable".

The opposition National Assembly Party, which is composed of exiled dissidents, condemned the "vicious attacks" and demanded "the protection of girls in shelters and orphanages in order to let them exercise their basic rights".

The governor of the south-western Asir region said in a statement on Wednesday that he had formed a committee to investigate the footage and that its findings would be referred to the competent authorities.

To know more: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-62750774

[espanolnews]

El Departamento de Estado de EE. UU. dijo el miércoles que está monitoreando el caso de una mujer saudí sentenciada a 34 años de prisión por usar Twitter para seguir cuentas y compartir publicaciones críticas con el Reino.A principios de este mes, Salma al-Shehab, estudiante de doctorado en el Reino Unido y madre de dos hijos, fue sentenciada a una larga pena de prisión, seguida de una prohibición de viajar de 34 años, luego de apelar su sentencia inicial, según The Washington Post. A través de su cuenta de Twitter, al-Shebab pidió reformas en su país y la liberación de reconocidos activistas e intelectuales, según informa la BBC. Esta es la sentencia más larga dictada contra una “activista pacífica”, según grupos de derechos humanos citados por el Post, que también informaron que le robaron el teléfono a al-Shebab y que su cuenta en la plataforma de redes sociales será eliminada permanentemente. Por ahora, su cuenta de Twitter permanece en línea.Ned Price, el vocero del Departamento de Estado, dijo que Estados Unidos está “estudiando” el hecho del caso de al-Shebab, según The Hill.“El ejercicio de la libertad de expresión para defender los derechos de las mujeres no debe ser criminalizado. Nunca debe ser criminalizado”, dijo Price.Price continuó: “La libertad de expresión es un principio que defendemos en todo el mundo. Cada vez que cualquier gobierno en cualquier lugar pisotea tal principio, nos pronunciamos y buscamos defender ese derecho fundamental que es tan fundamental para las personas en Arabia Saudita como lo es para cualquier país del mundo”.Según los informes, Al-Shebab, estudiante de la Universidad de Leeds y profesora de la Universidad Princess Nourah en Riyadh, fue detenida por las autoridades saudíes en enero de 2021, mientras visitaba el Reino durante las vacaciones. Ella permanece detenida.Su sentencia inicial fue de alrededor de seis años, según los grupos de derechos humanos The Freedom House y ALQST, citados por la BBC.Pero durante su apelación, las autoridades agregaron nuevos cargos, que incluyen “ayudar a quienes buscan causar disturbios públicos y desestabilizar la seguridad civil y nacional siguiendo sus cuentas de Twitter” y compartiendo sus publicaciones, según The Guardian.Lina Alhathloul, jefa de monitoreo y comunicación de ALQST, una ONG con sede en el Reino Unido que promueve los derechos humanos en Arabia Saudita, calificó la sentencia de “espantosa”.“Esta sentencia espantosa se burla de las afirmaciones de reforma para las mujeres y del sistema legal de las autoridades saudíes, y demuestra que siguen empeñadas en castigar duramente a cualquiera que exprese sus opiniones libremente”, dijo Alhathloul. “Los activistas saudíes advirtieron a los líderes occidentales que dar legitimidad al príncipe heredero allanaría el camino para más abusos, que lamentablemente es lo que estamos presenciando ahora”.La Dra. Bethany Al-Haidari, administradora de casos saudíes en Freedom Initiative, una ONG con sede en Washington, DC que trabaja para asegurar la liberación de prisioneros en el Medio Oriente y África del Norte, se hizo eco de Alhathloul al pedir la liberación inmediata de Al-Shebab.“Desafortunadamente, no sorprende que MBS se sienta más empoderado que nunca para presidir violaciones de derechos tan atroces. Sin ningún paso real hacia la rendición de cuentas, el viaje de Biden a Jeddah y el abrazo de la comunidad internacional deben sentirse como una luz verde” para los castigos, dijo Al-Haidari.El presidente Joe Biden visitó Arabia Saudita el mes pasado, donde se reunió con el príncipe heredero Mohammed bin Salman, quien las agencias de inteligencia estadounidenses han concluido que está detrás del asesinato del periodista del Washington Post Jamal Khashoggi.Biden trató de justificar el viaje, alegando que obtendría compromisos de MBS para aumentar el suministro de gas y, por lo tanto, reducir los precios del gas en el hogar, así como un mejor trato a los disidentes.

[insideusnet]

Saudi activist sentenced to 34 years in prison for Twitter activity : Inside US

Saudi activist sentenced to 34 years in prison for Twitter activity : Inside US

Al-Shehab, 33, was also banned from traveling outside of Saudi Arabia for another 34 years. The PhD student at Leeds University in the United Kingdom had been arrested in January 2021 and was subjected to questioning sessions over a period of 265 days before being brought to the Specialized Criminal Court, according to independent human rights organization ALQST. She was initially given a…

[dermontag]

Samstag, 08. Januar 2022 Nach drei Jahren Haft in Riad Saudische Prinzessin freigelassen Sie hat im Westen studiert, ist Frauenrechtlerin und enge Vertraute eines Widersachers von Kronprinz Salman: Die saudische Prinzessin Basma saß drei Jahre Jahre ohne Gerichtsverfahren in einem Gefägnis in Riad. Nun kommt sie mit ihrer Tochter frei. Die Behörden in Saudi-Arabien haben laut Angaben einer Menschenrechtsorganisation eine saudische Prinzessin und deren Tochter freigelassen, die drei Jahre lang in Riad inhaftiert worden waren. Basma bint Saud und ihre Tochter Suhud seien freigelassen worden, teilte die Organisation ALQST for Human Rights auf Twitter mit. Die 57-Jährige war im März 2019 inhaftiert und ohne Anklage festgehalten worden. Die Prinzessin gilt als Befürworterin von Frauenrechten und einer konstitutionellen Monarchie. Bereits im April 2020 hatte sie König Salman und Kronprinz Mohammed bin Salman gebeten, sie aus gesundheitlichen Gründen freizulassen. Der 57-Jährigen sei die medizinische Versorgung verwehrt worden, erklärte die Organisation. Die Nachrichtenagentur AFP konnte die saudischen Behörden zunächst nicht für eine Stellungnahme erreichen. Die Prinzessin wurde den Angaben zufolge im Al-Ha'ir-Gefängnis festgehalten, wo auch zahlreiche weitere politische Gefangene in Haft sitzen. Laut Angaben einer der Familie nahestehenden Quelle war sie festgenommen worden, als sie sich für eine medizinische Behandlung in die Schweiz begeben wollte. Um welche Behandlung es sich handelte, teilte die Quelle nicht mit. Geschäftsfrau und gemäßigte Aktivistin Saudi-Arabiens Kronprinz Mohammed bin Salman versucht seit 2017, eine gesellschaftliche Öffnung des erzkonservativen Königreichs anzustoßen. So wurden das jahrzehntelange Fahrverbot für Frauen abgeschafft und Konzerte mit Frauen und Männern im Publikum erlaubt. Allerdings wurden die Reformen von einem harten Vorgehen gegen Regierungskritiker begleitet, darunter auch Frauenrechtlerinnen. Die nun freigelassene Basma ist seine Cousine. Die Geschäftsfrau und gemäßigte Aktivistin soll auch wegen ihrer engen Beziehungen zu Kronprinz Salmans Konkurrenten, dem ehemaligen Kronprinzen Mohammed bin Naif verhaftet worden sein, zitierte die "taz" aus einem Dokument ihres Helfernetzwerks. Mit einem Protestschreiben wandten sich die Unterstützer der kritischen Prinzessin im vergangenen März an das britische und das US-Außenministerium. Basma ist demnach international gut vernetzt, wuchs im Libanon auf und studierte in Großbritannien, der Schweiz und Syrien.