Saudi women protest ( Small group -huge impact-Human rights )

Activists: Saudi women arrested at detention protests

By Mohammed Jamjoom, CNN

updated 12:14 PM EST, Sun February 10, 2013

Saudi women protest

Source: CNN

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

 

 

 

• Activists report arrests of women in Saudi cities
• Protesters unhappy with pace of judicial system
• Saudi officials have been reluctant to comment

(CNN) -- Dozens of women and at least five children were arrested on Saturday after demonstrations were held in two Saudi cities, Riyadh and Buraida, according to human rights activists. The women were demanding the release of relatives they say have been held for years without access to lawyers or a trial, the activists said.

Mohammed Al-Qahtani, a prominent activist currently on trial in Saudi Arabia on charges that include breaking allegiance to the Saudi king, told CNN the women who were protesting are "female relatives of political prisoners."

"They are asking the authorities to either take these prisoners to court," said Al-Qahtani, "or set them free."