Aziza al-Yousef
{{Short description|Saudi human rights activist}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2014}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Aziza al-Yousef
| image = عزيزةاليوسف.jpg
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|60|2018|06|23}}
| birth_place = Saudi Arabia
| death_date =
| death_place =
| alma_mater =
| occupation = computer science professor (retired)
| known_for = Women's rights (driving, male guardianship) activist
| spouse =
| website =
}}
Aziza al-Yousef is a Saudi Arabian women's rights activist and academic. She was detained by Saudi authorities in May 2018 along with Loujain al-Hathloul and five others.
As of November, 2018, she was apparently being held in the Dhahban Central Prison.{{cite web |title=Saudi Arabia: Reports of torture and sexual harassment of detained activists |url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2018/11/saudi-arabia-reports-of-torture-and-sexual-harassment-of-detained-activists/ |website=www.amnesty.org |date=20 November 2018 |publisher=Amnesty International |access-date=21 November 2018 |language=en}} In late March 2019, the women presented their defence and described enduring physical and sexual abuse in captivity. Aziza al-Yousef, together with Eman al-Nafjan and Dr Rokaya Mohareb were released on bail.{{cite web | last=Michaelson | first=Ruth | title=Saudi Arabia bails three women on trial for human rights activism | newspaper=The Guardian | date=2019-03-28 | url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/mar/28/saudi-arabia-releases-three-human-rights-activists-on-bail | access-date=2019-03-28}}
Biography
Al-Yousef studied briefly at King Saud University as a teenager before moving to the United States to study at Virginia Commonwealth University. She completed her master's degree back at King Saud University.{{Cite news|url=https://thearabweekly.com/conversation-saudi-womens-rights-advocate-aziza-al-yousef|title=A conversation with Saudi women's rights advocate Aziza al-Yousef {{!}} Rob L. Wagner {{!}} AW|work=AW|access-date=2018-05-20|language=en}}
Al-Yousef taught computer science at King Saud University for 28 years before retiring.{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/meet-the-saudi-women-who-advocated-for-the-right-to-drive--and-are-paying-dearly-for-it/2018/06/23/bd977440-73cf-11e8-bda1-18e53a448a14_story.html|title=Meet the Saudi women who advocated for the right to drive — and are paying dearly for it|last=Fahim|first=Kareem|date=2018-06-23|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=2018-06-25|language=en-US|issn=0190-8286}}
In 2013, al-Yousef was arrested along with fellow activist Eman al-Nafjan for driving through Riyadh by themselves. They were forced to sign a pledge that they would not drive again.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-25159880|title=Saudi female driver defies ban|last=Usher|first=Sebastian|date=2013-11-29|work=BBC News|access-date=2018-05-20|language=en-GB}} In 2013, al-Youssef launched a global awareness campaign following the rape of a 5-year girl by her father, a Saudi cleric.
In 2016, she helped to lead a campaign against the male guardianship system in Saudi Arabia.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/sep/26/saudi-arabia-protest-petition-end-guardianship-law-women|title=Thousands of Saudis sign petition to end male guardianship of women|last=Sidahmed|first=Mazin|date=2016-09-26|newspaper=The Guardian|language=en|access-date=2018-05-20}} She "attempted to deliver to the Royal Advisory Council a 14,700-signature petition seeking to abolish the guardianship regulations but she was rebuffed and told to mail it."
Around 15–18 May 2018, al-Yousef was detained by Saudi authorities, along with Loujain al-Hathloul, Iman al-Nafjan, Aisha Almane, Madeha al-Ajroush and two men involved in women's rights campaigning.[http://www.thenational.scot/world/16238142.Rights_activists_arrested_ahead_of_Saudi_driving_ban_reversal/ Female activists detained ahead of Saudi driving ban reversal], 20 May, The National[https://edition.cnn.com/2018/05/20/middleeast/saudi-women-arrests---intl/index.html Saudi Arabia arrests female activists weeks before lifting of driving ban], By Sarah El Sirgany and Hilary Clarke, 21 May 2018, CNN Human Rights Watch interpreted the purpose of the arrests as frightening "anyone expressing skepticism about the crown prince's rights agenda". Saudi authorities accused the arrested activists of having "suspicious contact with foreign parties", providing financial support to "hostile elements abroad" and recruiting government workers.{{Cite news|url=http://www.arabianbusiness.com/politics-economics/396889-saudis-detain-womens-advocates-ahead-of-driving-ban-lift|title=Saudis detain women's advocates ahead of driving ban lift|work=ArabianBusiness.com|access-date=2018-05-20|language=en}}
In 2019, it was reported that the Saudi authorities had detained her son, Salah al-Haidar.{{cite news | last1= Batrawy | first1= Aya | title= Saudi Arabia arrests eight supporters of women's-rights activists | date= 2019-04-05 |newspaper= The Globe and Mail/AP | url= https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-saudi-arabia-arrests-eight-supporters-of-womens-rights-activists/ |accessdate= 2019-08-02 |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20190802212349/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-saudi-arabia-arrests-eight-supporters-of-womens-rights-activists/ |archivedate= 2019-08-02 |url-status=live}}[https://archive.today/20200117143458/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/16/world/middleeast/saudi-fitaihi-trial.html American Family Stuck in Saudi Arabia While Father Stands Trial], Ben Hubbard, Jan. 16, 2020, The New York Times
References
{{reflist|31em|refs=
{{cite news | last1= Fahim| first1= Kareem| title= Meet the Saudi women who advocated for the right to drive — and are paying dearly for it| date= 2018-06-23| newspaper= The Washington Post| url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/meet-the-saudi-women-who-advocated-for-the-right-to-drive--and-are-paying-dearly-for-it/2018/06/23/bd977440-73cf-11e8-bda1-18e53a448a14_story.html|access-date=2018-06-23 }}
{{cite news |first=Jason |last=Burke |title=Saudi Arabia women test driving ban |date=17 June 2011 |newspaper=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/jun/17/saudi-arabia-women-drivers-protest |access-date=19 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110620011315/http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jun/17/saudi-arabia-women-drivers-protest |archive-date=20 June 2011 |url-status=live |df=dmy }}
{{cite news| title=Saudi Arabia 'arrests women's rights activists'| date=2018-05-19| publisher=Al Jazeera English| url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/05/saudi-arabia-arrests-women-rights-activists-180519075533018.html| access-date=2018-05-19| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180520014318/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/05/saudi-arabia-arrests-women-rights-activists-180519075533018.html| archive-date=20 May 2018| url-status=live| df=dmy-all}}
{{cite web| title =Saudi Arabia: Women's Rights Advocates Arrested — Jumping Ahead of Crown Prince's Reforms Risks Jail Time| publisher =Human Rights Watch| date =2018-05-18| url =https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/05/18/saudi-arabia-womens-rights-advocates-arrested| access-date =2018-05-19| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20180521053409/https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/05/18/saudi-arabia-womens-rights-advocates-arrested| archive-date =21 May 2018| url-status =live| df =dmy-all}}
}}
{{Portalbar|Biography|Feminism|Saudi Arabia}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Yousef, Aziza}}
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:Saudi Arabian women activists
Category:People of the 2011–2012 Saudi Arabian protests
Category:Saudi Arabian dissidents
Category:Saudi Arabian feminists
Category:Women's rights in Saudi Arabia
Category:Saudi Arabian women's rights activists
Category:Saudi Arabian prisoners and detainees