3 activists barred as Saudi women launch first vote bid

Riyadh, November 29

Hundreds of Saudi women began campaigning for public office today, in a first for women in the conservative Muslim kingdom’s slow reform process, even as three activists were disqualified.

More than 900 women are standing alongside thousands of men in the December 12 municipal elections, which will also mark the first time women are allowed to vote.

“I’ve been eliminated as a candidate for the municipal elections,” Loujain Hathloul said in a tweet.

Saudi authorities detained Hathloul for more than two months after she tried to drive into the kingdom last December from the United Arab Emirates, in defiance of a Saudi ban on female motorists.

She had said she wanted to run “to increase the percentage of women’s participation”. Another driving activist, Tamadour al-Yami, said her name was also dropped from the final list of authorised candidates. She vowed to appeal, “but, I don’t think it will change anything”.

And Nassima al-Sadah, a would-be poll candidate, said officials informed her yesterday that her name had been removed. — AFP