The prominent Saudi dissident and women’s rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul has been released from prison after 1,001 days in custody. “Loujain’s years-long imprisonment has ended, but she is not free,” said Adam Coogle, the deputy director for the Middle East at Human Rights Watch. Unlike his predecessor Donald Trump, who fully embraced Prince Mohammed and showed no interest in the Kingdom’s human rights controversies, Biden has been noticeably cooler towards Riyadh and has vowed to reassess the US-Saudi partnership and stand up for human rights and democratic principles. Lucy Rae, a spokeswoman for Grant Liberty, which campaigns for the rights of prisoners in Saudi Arabia, said: “Loujain al-Hathloul leaves prison a hero – brutalised by the regime, but not broken. It’s not just Loujain – there are many other women in prison today because they fought for human rights in Saudi Arabia.

Source: The Guardian February 10, 2021 17:07 UTC