RELIGIOUS POLICE ARREST/RELEASE AMERICAN-SAUDI

S E C R E T JEDDAH 000072

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

RIYADH PLEASE PASS TO DHAHRAN; DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/06/2028
TAGS: PGOV PHUM CASC KISL KWMN SA
SUBJECT: RELIGIOUS POLICE ARREST/RELEASE AMERICAN-SAUDI
BUSINESSWOMAN FOR "SECLUSION WITH A MAN"

Classified By: Consul General Tatiana C. Gfoeller for Reasons
1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (S) SUMMARY: The Saudi religious police arrested and later
released on February 4 an American-Saudi businesswoman for
allegedly being in seclusion with an unrelated man at a
Riyadh Starbucks. Yara Anabtawi contacted U.S. Consulate
General Jeddah the morning of February 5, after English daily
newspaper Arab News published an interview detailing her
treatment by the religious police. She informed PolOff that
she had been searched, held incomunicado, and forced to sign
a confession. After no longer fearing for her physical
safety, she met with the National Society for Human Rights
(NSHR) to file a complaint. However, the NSHR informed
PolOff that they could only request that the religious police
clear Ms. Anabtawi of the charges and provide her with an
apology. In Jeddah, news of the case spread quickly among
Saudi businesswomen. Many considered the case horrible,
highlighting how women in Jeddah do not face the same
restrictions as women in Riyadh and advocating greater
awareness among women of their rights. END SUMMARY.

AMERICAN-SAUDI BUSINESSWOMAN "TRAUMATIZED" BY ARREST


2. (S) While on a business trip to Riyadh to visit her
company's new office on February 4, the Saudi religious
police arrested Yara Anabtawi for "khulwa" (being in
seclusion with a man who is not her relative). She spent
several hours at Riyadh's Malaz Prison where she stated the
religious police performed a physical search, fingerprinted
her, prevented her from contacting her husband, and forced
her to sign a confession. Yara Anabtawi later contacted the
U.S. Consulate General Jeddah out of concern for her physical
safety, after having read an Arab News article detailing her
treatment and arrest. The Commission for the Promotion of
Virtue and Prevention of Vice (CPVPV) has not responded to
inquiries about her case but CPVPV Riyadh Office Acting
Director Sheikh Othman Al-Othman stated that "they will reply
to those questions later." Yara returned to Jeddah on
February 5 where a doctor treated her for trauma. Her
husband, Hatim Anabtawi, stated that he is "angry," and
described the Mutaww'a as "thugs."

NATIONAL SOCIETY FOR HUMAN RIGHTS: THERE WERE MANY VIOLATIONS


3. (S) Vice President of the National Society for Human
Rights (NSHR) for the Mecca Region, Aljawhara Alanqari, met
with Yara and Hatim Anabtawi the afternoon of January 6.
After Yara reported to the NSHR the details of her treatment
and arrest, the Society said that they would seek an apology
from the religious police and request that they clear her
"file." Aljawhara added that they would submit information
on Yara's case to NSHR legal consultants so that they could
determine the extent of the violations. However, Aljawhara
confirmed that there were many violations, including the
Mutaww'a forcing Yara to accompany him without her male
guardian and prohibiting her from calling her husband while
at the Riyadh prison.

JEDDAWI BUSINESSWOMEN REACTION: SURPRISED AND HORRIFIED


4. (S) Prominent businesswomen in Jeddah reacted negatively
to news of Yara Anabtawi's arrest and anticipated that it
would continue to stir-up ill will toward the Mutaww'a.
Fatin Bundagji, Institutional Development Consultant and
activist for women's issues, said that Yara's treatment and
arrest were "absolutely horrific." She added: "They
(Mutaww'a) do not have the right to arrest her" and
speculated that Yara's case will attract a lot of "OpEd
feedback." Another contact, Jeddah Economic Forum Marketing
Board member Rasha Hefzi, stated that she was very surprised
to learn of Yara's arrest. She said that it was normal for
Jeddawi women to interact with men in public but that women
in Riyadh face greater restrictions.


5. (S) Basmah Omair, Executive Director of the Jeddah Chamber
of Commerce and Industry's Businesswomen Center, stated that
the arrest was "horrible" and was pleased that it had gained
international media coverage. (NOTE: Agence France published
an article on February 5. END NOTE.) She also argued that
the Mutaww'a had no right to arrest Yara, stating that the
Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice
interpret "khulwa" (a man and a woman in seclusion with the
possibility of adultery) as "mingling," which she defined as
a man and a woman interacting in a public space. As a
result, she asserted, the SAG needs to differentiate between
"khulwa" and "mingling," as well as educate women on their
rights.
GFOELLER