Saudi Arabian authorities have arrested two high-profile women’s rights activists, Human Rights Watch said Wednesday, amid what the organisation called an “unprecedented” crackdown on dissent.
Award-winning gender rights activist Samar Badawi was arrested along with fellow campaigner Nassima al-Sadah this week, “the latest victims of an unprecedented government crackdown on the women’s rights movement,” HRW said in a statement.
Her brother has been in a Saudi jail since 2012 for his criticism of the regime. He was lashed 50 times in 2015. Raif’s wife, Ensaf Haidar, and their three children became Canadian citizens earlier this summer. They live in Quebec’s Eastern Townships.
Haidar has repeatedly pressed the Canadian government to increase its efforts to get her husband released.
Samer has been targeted by Saudi authorities before. She was subject to a travel ban in 2014 and was arrested two years later, Amnesty said in a statement.
