Saudi women drivers referred to terrorism court

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

By AYA BATRAWY

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Two Saudi women detained for nearly a month in defiance of a ban on females driving were referred on Thursday to a court established to try terrorism cases, several people close to the defendants said.

The cases of the two, Loujain al-Hathloul and Maysa al-Amoudi, were sent to the anti-terrorism court in connection to opinions they expressed in tweets and in social media, four people close to the two women told The Associated Press.

They did not elaborate on the specific charges or what the opinions were. Both women have spoken out online against the female driving ban. Activists say they fear the case is intended to send a warning to others pushing for greater rights. The four people spoke on condition of anonymity because of fear of government reprisals.

The Specialized Criminal Court, to which their cases were referred, was established in the capital Riyadh to try terrorism cases but has also tried and handed long prison sentences to a number of human rights workers, peaceful dissidents, activists and critics of the government. For example, this year it sentenced a revered Shiite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, a vocal critic of the government, to death for sedition and sentenced a prominent human rights lawyer, Waleed Abul-Khair, to 15 years in prison on charges of inciting public opinion.

FULL story at link.



FILE - This Nov. 30, 2014 file image made from video released by Loujain al-Hathloul, shows her driving towards the United Arab Emirates - Saudi Arabia border before her arrest on Dec. 1, 2014, in Saudi Arabia. Two Saudi women, including al-Hathloul, detained for nearly a month after violating the kingdom's female driving ban have been referred Thuesday, Dec. 25, 2014 to a court established to try terrorism cases on charges related to comments they made on social media.(AP Photo/Loujain al-Hathloul)

Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20141225/ml--saudi-women_driving-20a4732aec.html

[SoapBox]

1. Inciting public opinion?

Oh brother...how I wish we could put away Pukes, Baggers and FuksFakeNews on those charges.

The treatment of these women is appalling.

[backscatter712]

2. Why the fuck does the US and the West play patti-cake with those medieval scumfucks?

Saudi Arabia and its authoritarian regime can kiss my ass.

[GliderGuider]

3. Oil.

It's called realpolitik.

[rpannier]

4. There's our ally in all their splendor

[cstanleytech]

5. I know alot of drivers in my area should be in a court for terrorism for the way they drive

around here with some of the idiots going as high as 90 in a 45 zone *shudder*

[SpankMe]

6. Republican double standard

We sell weapons to Saudi Arabia, we buy their oil, we have military bases there and full diplomatic relations. And yet not any real objection from the right, even though Saudi Arabia is a HUMONGOUS human rights violator, Islamic theocracy, proponent for the destruction of Israel, suppressor of women and other principles that are at the polar opposite of the spectrum of U.S. ideals.

But, take the first step in normalizing relations with Cuba?... Well, this is supporting a terrorist regime, is the worst foreign policy decision in the history of the English language, is immoral and will contribute to the decline and fall of the United States!

Conservatives - Republicans in particular - are mother fuckers.

[onehandle]

7. End 'Normalized Relations' With Saudi Arabia, Mr. President.

Don't bomb them for 9/11. Smirk missed that window of opportunity.

But you have to act against this totalitarian terrorist state.

[AngryDem001]

8. Saudi Arabia can go to hell.

But it's already hell if you are a woman.

[Orsino]

9. The gloves are finally off in dealing with the vagina smugglers! n/t