Big step forward for Saudi women
The historic ruling represents a significant change is underway within the Kingdom’s judicial system.
By IAR Desk
According to a report by Al Arabiya a court in Saudi Arabia has ruled in favor of a woman who was on trial for living and traveling on her own to the Kingdom’s capital, Riyadh, without her father’s permission. Public prosecutors had been pursuing the woman for being absent from her family’s home and traveling to Riyadh without permission, court documents published by Abdulrahman al-Lahim, a lawyer in the case , showed.
The report also cited a statement of al-Lahim said in a tweet that “A historic ruling was issued today, affirming that independence of a sane, adult woman in a separate house is not a crime worthy of punishment. I am very happy with this ruling that ends tragic stories for women.”
The court ruled that the independence of the defendant in a separate home is not considered a punishable criminal act as the “woman is a sane adult who has the right to decide where she wants to live,” according to the document. In an interview with Al Arabiya, al-Lahim said that he considers this a historic ruling because it represents a significant change is underway within the Kingdom’s judicial system.
The report also quoted the lawyer as saying that “This shows the creation of a new generation of judges who coexist and live in the reality that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is living in, in alignment with the vision of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. A ruling that deals with reality, the reality of society and the reality of the entire world.”
Al-Lahim also said the ruling is in line with global women rights and human rights. The identity of the women involved was later revealed on Twitter in a response to comments made by al-Lahim.
The tweet by Meriam al-Eteebe,said that “After long suffering that has lasted since 2017, I managed today, along with the court hero Mr. Abdulrahman al-Lahim, to take back my freedom of movement, guaranteed by the Saudi constitution, which states that every citizen has freedom of movement and stability” and expressed her experience was not very convenient but worth it.
