Saudi Arabia supports women in professional roles: ministry

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RIYADH: The Foreign Ministry of Saudi Arabia announced support for the women in their professional lives, adding that the kingdom ‘strives for a dynamic community’.

The ministry said, “Saudi Arabia supports its women in their professional lives, as the Kingdom strive for a dynamic community. #Vision2030.”

The Saudi kingdom also voiced encouragement as it joined the celebration of women role in developing countries to multilateralism and the agenda 2030.

WOMEN RIGHTS ACTIVIST FREED:

Saudi Arabia on Thursday released veteran women rights activist Aisha Al-Manea following her arrest last week with several other activists in a crackdown on suspected contacts with foreign entities.

However, Amnesty International had reported the detention of at least 11 activists, mostly women who previously campaigned for the right to drive and an end to the Kingdom’s male guardianship system, which requires women to obtain the consent of a male relative for major decisions. The arrests were made just weeks before the ban on women driving is set to end.

“We welcome her [Al-Manea’s] release but we still do not know the conditions around it, and we call on authorities to release the other human rights defenders immediately,” said Samah Hadid, Amnesty’s Middle East Director of Campaigns.

Earlier, the Saudi authorities had arrested seven people for suspicious contacts with foreign entities and offering financial support to enemies overseas, state news agency SPA said on Saturday.

Citing a state security spokesman, SPA statement said the suspects arrested “had suspicious contacts with foreign entities to support their activities, recruited people working in sensitive government sites and offered financial support of hostile elements overseas.”

They aimed at undermining the security and stability of the Kingdom and dividing national unity, the statement said, adding that work was still underway to identify everyone involved in their activities and take all legal measures against them.