Daily Times

In Saudi Arabia, the question of women’s rights remains a strictly male-dominated affair. Just ask the reformist in-residence, Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman. It had been expected that the latter would be relishing the anticipated fanfare. After all, his much-touted reversal of the ban on women driving takes effect next month.

Yet the bitter truth is that MBS may be no better than a progressive in patriarchy’s old clothes. For earlier this month, the Kingdom arrested up to 11 women’s rights activists. Local pro-regime media has gone all out to run a smear campaign against the detainees, which reportedly includes several men. It has branded them traitors, accused them of treason and working with foreign embassies to destabilise the country. One has been labelled a “Qatari agent”.

Their collective crime appears to be not kowtowing to the Crown Prince. Indeed, all of those in custody have continued to challenge other discriminatory laws, including — perhaps most controversially — the male guardianship system. This requires women to obtain the consent of a male relative if they want to travel, work or even access healthcare. Activists have also said that those arrested may have distinguished themselves by requesting the Riyadh authorities to give the go-ahead for the setting-up of ‘Amina’, an NGO offering support and shelter to victims of domestic abuse. The fear is now that these human rights defenders may face the death penalty.

The West must speak with one voice to condemn this latest development. Meaning that Trump Town needs go beyond pledges to keep a close eye on the situation. After all, it was Europe and the US that celebrated MBS as a flash force for progress; a man with whom the elite could do business. And here Washington must take the lead. For it has never been coy about how it wants the Saudis to spread their wealth to American shores; on top of all the weapons of mass destruction that the US continues to sell Riyadh. Indeed, it was not so long ago that the Americans were lambasting the Afghan Taliban over their violently repressive ‘policies’ towards women.

This is not to say that West is best. It is just to point out the ongoing double standard that dictates that when money talks — its voice rings high and loud above all else.  *

Published in Daily Times, May 25^th 2018.