Saudi Arabia must immediately and unconditionally release all women it has detained for campaigning for human rights, officials mandated by the United Nations said.
Saudi authorities have detained more than a dozen women’s rights activists since May. Most campaigned for the right to drive – which was granted in June – and an end to the kingdom’s male guardianship system, which requires women to obtain the consent of a male relative for major decisions.
This statement, from experts who report to the U.N. Human Rights Council, called for the release of six women.
They include one, Israa Al-Ghomgham, who is facing possible execution, a threat the experts called “reprehensible”.
They said they were in touch with Saudi authorities.
The Saudi mission in Geneva did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
