As part of our theme Stop Arming Repression, we’re looking at the impact of UK weapons sold to Saudi Arabia.
As well as fuelling the war in Yemen, the UK has sold equipment to the Saudi security services, who are repressing their own population. Over recent years we’ve highlighted the personal story of Saudi human rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul, and many of you wrote letters on support of Loujain and her fellow women’s-rights activists last year as part of our Taking a Stand theme.
In 2014, Loujian defied Saudi’s driving ban for women by attempting to drive into Saudi Arabia from the United Arab Emirates. Despite apparent success for that campaign, Loujain and several other activists were re-arrested in May 2018. Now Women’s March Global reports:
“[31st July 2019] was Loujain Al-Hathloul’s 30th birthday. Loujain was one of the leading voices for the lift of the driving ban that the Saudi Kingdom so publicly touted as a great reform. Yet she and other Saudi Activists remain in prison after more than one year and 2 months of being forcibly silenced.
#SaudiArabia has yet to be held accountable for their continued gross violations of human rights on numerous levels.
We need your support more than ever. Sign and Share the petition to call on the UN to hold Saudi Arabia accountable, and immediately and unconditionally #FreeSaudiActivists.”
Uma Mishra, Executive Director of Women’s March Global
You can sign their petition to the United Nations online.
And pop into Peace Hub to take action against the UK selling weapons to Saudi Arabia, that are being used against people like Loujain, and against the civilians of Yemen.