Saudi Police arrested 12 women while protesting

The Saudi Police arrested 12 women last Saturday (10-2-2013). The women were protesting against the detention of their husbands

Saudi police dealt violently last Saturday (10-2-2013) against twelve women and five children demonstrating in Riyadh to demand the release of their husbands detained by the Saudi authorities without any charge and did not charge them yet. Three women are still under arrest.

The Saudi Human rights organization demanded the immediate release of them. A group of women went to the Organization in Riyadh to talk about their husbands detained without charge. The wives demonstrated using banners with the names and pictures of their husbands. About 25 police cars and police arrived quickly, policemen beat women and children and confiscated the banners.

About 13 women were arrested. They also arrested Mrs. Abeer, the wife of Mr. Solomon Alrushdy who was arrested on 12/12/2012, two days after giving a lecture telling the that Sharia (Islamic law) allow demonstrations. He has since then been isolated and prohibited from any contact with the outside world. Abeer talked to the organization about the circumstances of her arrest and reported: They took our fingerprints and DNA sample, then questioned us: Who are you? who is the leader of your group? Do you possess a Twitter account? And how is the coordination among you? Abeer complained of the absence of her lawyer during the investigation.
The investigator gave her the choice: or you accept the investigation without a lawyer or you will remain in custody. So I chose to continue the investigation without a lawyer, she added. After about 9 hours Abeer was released but there are still 3 women in detention.

The Saudi Organization of Human Rights consider them as “Prisoner of conscience” as they were detained because of engaging the peaceful expression of their views and the organization is calling on Saudi authorities to release them immediately, without limitation or qualification.