Saudi Arabia Puts 26 Women On Trial For ‘Terror Activities’
By Arab News
By Abdul Hannan Tago
As many as 26 women accused of “terror activities” are being tried by the Specialized Criminal Court in Riyadh and no special privileges have been given to them, Mansoor Al-Qaffari, spokesman of the Ministry of Justice, has said.
“The women are being tried under the same procedures as male suspects and are given complete privacy and rights guaranteed by the law,” he said.
Article VII, however, grants temporary release of some extremist suspects by the Minister of Interior orders, said Al-Qaffari.
Commenting on the issue, Dr. Yusuf Al-Rumaih, professor of criminology at Al-Qassim University, said that it is unfortunate that women are being exploited by radicalized groups, although their number is limited in Saudi Arabia.
“The privacy rights guaranteed to Saudi women are also being misused, in some cases, by terrorists like using women’s garments in perpetrating terrorist crimes,” he said.
“In the past, women never thought about undertaking terrorist operations, but now they have become carriers of weapons and explosives, said Al-Rumaih. “This does not mean that women’s privacy should not be maintained, but they should not violate homeland security.”
Al-Rumaih emphasized the need for intense awareness campaigns such as organizing lectures and seminars for women in this regard.
The court is still ascertaining the role of Abeer Al-Harbi in the bombing of the Special Emergency Forces Mosque in Asir in August last year.
