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Madeha al-Ajroush
Saudi Arabian activist From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Madeha al-Ajroush (Arabic: مديحة العجروش) is a Saudi Arabian women's rights activist, psychologist and photographer. She was detained by Saudi authorities in May 2018 along with Loujain al-Hathloul and five other activists.
Women's rights activism
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In 1990, al-Ajroush took part in the first protests by Saudi women against the ban on women driving.[1] As a result of these actions, al-Ajroush was detained and lost her job and passport.[2][3] With the first Gulf War taking place in neighbouring Kuwait, "Seeing female U.S. soldiers stationed in Saudi Arabia driving gave the women the push they needed to act".[4] As an additional punishment for this action, photographic negatives created by al-Ajroush over 15 years were burned by Saudi authorities.[5]
In 2013, al-Ajroush told The Telegraph, '"Back in 1990 I was absolutely terrified... And there was no social media to highlight what we were doing and protect us."'[6]
Around 15–18 May 2018, she was detained by Saudi authorities, along with Loujain al-Hathloul, Iman al-Nafjan, Aziza al-Yousef, Aisha al-Mana and two men involved in women's rights campaigning.[7][8][9] Human Rights Watch interpreted the purpose of the arrests as frightening "anyone expressing skepticism about the crown prince's rights agenda".[10] Saudi authorities accused the arrested activists of having "suspicious contact with foreign parties", providing financial support to "hostile elements abroad" and recruiting government workers.[11]
According to The Independent, the arrests came "just six weeks before Saudi Arabia is due to lift the world’s only ban on women driving."[12]
Madeha al-Ajroush and Aisha al-Mana were released after a few days, while the others remained under arrest.[13]
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References
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