Lina Alhathloul was at home in Brussels a year ago when she heard that her sister, Loujain, had been arrested by the Saudi government. It was only a few weeks before the ban on women being allowed to drive was due to be lifted and the eyes of the world were on the changes taking place in Saudi Arabia.
Loujain, 29, raised in wealthy circles in France and Saudi, was also a well-known women’s rights activist.
Her family thought she would be released after the driving ban was lifted and did not think the Saudi authorities, with their strict conservative views, would hurt a female prisoner.
They were wrong. Months later Loujain told her parents that she had been held in solitary confinement, beaten, taunted and sexually abused by captors including an aide to Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman (MBS). [The Times (£)] Read more
