Saudi Arabia W20: Yes, a whitewash

Al-Hathloul, known for her campaign against the driving ban, was detained for three months after her arrest without any contact with the outside world. Family members said they were subjected to electric shocks, flogging and sexual harassment while in detention. Others were similarly abused. Nobody was convicted.

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Al-Hathloul, as well as Nassima al-Sadah, Samar Badawi and Nouf Abdulaziz, who were arrested later that year, remain in custody. While some women have been released, if they step out of line, they risk immediate return to prison.

Earlier this year, Saudi women took to Twitter to shed light on deeply ingrained discrimination against them. They called for the abolition of the male guardianship system and an end to sexual harassment and inequality in marriage, divorce and custody.

The G20 presidency – and subsequently the privilege of hosting the W20 – has given the MBS government an undeserved mark of international prestige. While brave women are being tortured for peaceful activities, the Saudi government is trying to assert itself on the international stage as a “reform power”.

W20 delegates should use their platform to stand up for Saudi women’s rights activists and to stand up for an end to all forms of discrimination against women. If the Saudi government is committed to “making opportunities for all,” it should include all Saudi activists behind bars and other victims of discrimination.

Hiba Zayadin is a researcher in the Human Rights Watch Department for Human Rights in the Middle East and North Africa, where she investigates human rights abuses in the Arab Gulf States.