“I feel that smoking in public is a part of exercising my newly won freedoms.” Freedom FreedomOfExpression Saudi WomensRights HumanRights
“I feel that smoking in public is a part of exercising my newly won freedoms. I am happy that now that I can choose,” the 27-year-old Saudi who works for a private company in the capital told AFP.
The kingdom’s ambitious de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has rolled out an array of economic and social innovations to project a moderate, business-friendly image. Rima, who started smoking two years ago, dismisses concerns about the harmful effects of tobacco but is worried her family will find out.“I won’t tell them that this is about my personality liberty, because they won’t understand that women are free to smoke like men,” said Rima, dressed in a traditional black abaya with gold embroidery matching the hijab that covered her hair.
“My rights will be fully respected when my family accepts me as a smoker,” she said, recalling that a friend was sent to an addiction clinic when her parents found out about her smoking. Heba, a 36-year-old longtime smoker who sat at a table nearby, described growing up in a closed country where “everything was forbidden to women”.“Now, everything is allowed. Women venture out without hijab, without abaya and they even smoke publicly.”
Many of the detained have accused interrogators of sexual harassment and torture. Saudi authorities reject the accusations.
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