Aziza al-Yousef

Aziza al-Yousef
Born 1957 or 1958 (age 60–61)[1]
Saudi Arabia
Occupation computer science professor (retired)[2]
Known for Women's rights (driving, male guardianship) activist[1]
Children 5[1]

Aziza al-Yousef is a Saudi Arabian women's rights activist and academic.[3] She was detained by Saudi authorities in May 2018 along with Loujain al-Hathloul and five others.[4]

Life

Al-Yousef studied briefly at King Saud University as a teenager before moving to the United States to study at Virginia Commonwealth University. She completed her Masters degree back at King Saud University.[5]

Al-Yousef taught computer science at King Saud University for 28 years before retiring.[6]

In 2013, al-Yousef was arrested along with fellow activist Eman al-Nafjan for driving through Riyadh by themselves. They were forced to sign a pledge that they would not drive again.[7] In 2013, al-Youssef launched a global awareness campaign following the rape of 5-year girl by her father, a Saudi cleric.[6]

In 2016, she helped to lead a campaign against the male guardianship system in Saudi Arabia.[2] She "attempted to deliver to the Royal Advisory Council a 14,700-signature petition seeking to abolish the guardianship regulations but she was rebuffed and told to mail it."[8]

Around 15-18 May 2018, al-Yousef was detained by Saudi authorities, along with Loujain al-Hathloul, Iman al-Nafjan, Aisha Almane, Madeha al-Ajroush and two men involved in women's rights campaigning.[9][10][11] Human Rights Watch interpreted the purpose of the arrests as frightening "anyone expressing skepticism about the crown prince's rights agenda".[4] Saudi authorities accused the arrested activists of having "suspicious contact with foreign parties", providing financial support to "hostile elements abroad" and recruiting government workers.[12]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Fahim, Kareem (2018-06-23). "Meet the Saudi women who advocated for the right to drive — and are paying dearly for it". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 2018-06-23. Retrieved 2018-06-23.
  2. 1 2 Sidahmed, Mazin (2016-09-26). "Thousands of Saudis sign petition to end male guardianship of women". the Guardian. Retrieved 2018-05-20.
  3. ↑ Burke, Jason (17 June 2011). "Saudi Arabia women test driving ban". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 19 June 2011. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
  4. 1 2 "Saudi Arabia: Women's Rights Advocates Arrested — Jumping Ahead of Crown Prince's Reforms Risks Jail Time". Human Rights Watch. 2018-05-18. Archived from the original on 2018-05-19. Retrieved 2018-05-19.
  5. ↑ "A conversation with Saudi women's rights advocate Aziza al-Yousef | Rob L. Wagner | AW". AW. Retrieved 2018-05-20.
  6. 1 2 Fahim, Kareem (2018-06-23). "Meet the Saudi women who advocated for the right to drive — and are paying dearly for it". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2018-06-25.
  7. ↑ Usher, Sebastian (2013-11-29). "Saudi female driver defies ban". BBC News. Retrieved 2018-05-20.
  8. ↑ "A conversation with Saudi women's rights advocate Aziza al-Yousef | Rob L. Wagner | AW". AW. Retrieved 2018-05-20.
  9. ↑ Female activists detained ahead of Saudi driving ban reversal, 20th May, The National
  10. ↑ "Saudi Arabia 'arrests women's rights activists'". Al Jazeera English. 2018-05-19. Archived from the original on 2018-05-19. Retrieved 2018-05-19.
  11. ↑ Saudi Arabia arrests female activists weeks before lifting of driving ban, By Sarah El Sirgany and Hilary Clarke, May 21, 2018, CNN
  12. ↑ "Saudis detain women's advocates ahead of driving ban lift". ArabianBusiness.com. Retrieved 2018-05-20.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.