11 arrested for being ‘traitors’ and pushing for women’s right to drive in Saudi

The New York Times reports that “Saudi Arabia is escalating its crackdown on activists who had pressed for the right of women to drive, bringing the number arrested to at least 11 and publicly branding them as “traitors.”

The acceleration of the crackdown has come as a surprise because the kingdom is expected, in just three weeks, to grant the activists a victory by allowing women for the first time to drive. An international uproar over the arrests now threatens to drown out the accolades that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the dominant force in the kingdom, had previously won for announcing the rule change.

But both supporters and critics of the crown prince said Wednesday that he appeared determined to portray the change as a royal gift to Saudi women rather than any concession to domestic or international pressure, even if silencing the activists overshadows the reform.