Detained Saudi women’s rights activists tell judges of abuse
Associated PressDUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Nearly a dozen Saudi women’s rights activists seated before a three-judge panel in a Riyadh courtroom Wednesday laid out their defense and spoke of physical and sexual abuse they say they were subjected to by masked interrogators, according to people with knowledge of the case. Several people with knowledge of the cases say charges against the women relate to their efforts to promote women’s rights and having contact with accredited foreign reporters, diplomats and human rights groups. The 11 women on trial in Riyadh appear to be facing similar charges related to peaceful human rights work, including promoting women’s rights, according to Human Rights Watch. HRW said at least two of the women are accused of sharing information about women’s rights in Saudi Arabia with accredited foreign journalists, diplomats, and international human rights organizations.