WOMEN TRYING TO ESCAPE SAUDI ARABIA

 

As most of us know Saudi Arabia is a third world country which means they keep traditional morals and values very close to home.Most of their laws are imposed based on Islam sharia law which can cause conflict as some individuals may not want to be part of, not abide by the rules can result in being imprisoned. One of the largest problems with Saudi law is the position of where women stand in society. They are viewed upon as below men.One of their laws is that women should be under the rule of a man from birth till death this imply’s that anything  women do has to be controlled over by a male which could even be their son, men have authority have women. In this documentary, we get an insight view of how Saudi women feel about their lives and are even willing to put their life at risk to flee their countries.

One of the most recent cases that has occurreds is the story of Rahaf Mohammed.Rahaf was on the run from Kuwait she had planned out her escape and paid for her ticket and initially leave when her family were asleep .She had a valid  australian tourist visa and planned to spend a few days in Bankok then travel to austaraila.Although she had a stargetegic method to get freedom that didnt go to plan.Someone had lied to her that they woerked with the Saudi Embassy and took her passpor away.Continuing the documentary we begin to find that Rahaf Mohammed's father is a very important man ,is part of the governemt .Her family informed officals that she was missing and it was a misson that she should return.When Rahfaf tried to continue her jounry she was told her passport was cancelled. She then started to realise this was all her fathers doing and she was in danger if she had went back to her home country.She was escorted to Airport Transir Hotel where she was blocked from leaving the country.After being placed in the hotel Rahfat sent an SOS message on twitter “I am a the girl who escaped from Kuwait to Thailand my life is at stake and I am now in real danger if I’m forced to go back to Saudi Arabia” . This message had spread on social media fast. Feminist Activist Mona Eltahawy direct messaged her and insisted that she should make a video of her face explaining herself .She remaked in the video “please help me they will kill me” . When this video was posted it was then spread world wide, as this had become so viral and contriversal there was no way of Rahfat going back to her homeland as it would’ve resulted in her being executed .Moreover she than decides to baracade herself inside her hotel room. On several occasions members of staff had pretended to be part of the UNHR to try and get her to open the room door but she was in doubt it was them and would only leave if she had got ID confirmation.When UNHR had finally arrived they had promised her that she would be protected under all circumstances. In present day Radat is trying to aid Saudi women get the rights that they need and explains to story to young females. She is now in Canada and is studying and says that freedom is the only important thing to her. There are many cases of women trying to flee their country but Rahaf is one of the lucky women to complete her journey and end up alive whilst getting the freedom she deserves.
Dina Ali Lasoom is one of the victims that didn’t make it as she anticipated.April 2017 she was stopped in the philipenes on transit on her way to Sidney.At the airport she had met a women called Meaghan Khan whichshe had asked to use her mobile phone as something had been wrong with her flight. Her passport had been confiscated by an official from the embassy which meant she couldn’t go on her flight. The two women were told that an important person had said she should be held aswell as her l documents and was not permitted to leave. When being told this she had started to cry and said her family had been waiting to kill her. Her plan was to go to Australia and seek asylum to remove herself from her violent family. Dina’s uncles had arrived to the airport she weeped and pleaded not to be taken by her family to the airline but she was ignored. A man who was disgusted as a lawyer tricked her into getting on the plane. She was then locked up inside a room . Another passagerhad recorded her, her uncles tapped her mouth, beat her, abducted her, duck tapped her to a wheel chair with a blanket on her head and the airline did nothing about it .Since then Dina Ali Lasoom has not been heard of.  The Saudi Embassy issued a statement ,it was landed as family matters and claimed she was returned back to her relatives in her home land.It is believed that Dina Ali  was taken to Ritadh to a closed women shelter. This is where women who disobey their graudian or shame their families end up including victims of domestic violence, you are treated as a prisoner nor a victim no phone calls are allowed to be made and is completely closed once entered the only way of leaving is a male relative collecting you or a husband is given to you by the shelter. 
Mohammed Bin Salman took power and had been selling himself as a reformer he claimed that he would allow women to have more rights like western countries. E.G allowing women to drive. Manal Al Sareef was jailed for beginning a protest for womens right with driving yet Salman had promoted him to let allowing women to drive. She was thrilled of thought of reform yet it was all propaganda. They were jailed as Salman wanted to make  himself look like he had the authority to change women’s rights and didn’t like the idea of the women stepping out of their comfort zone. The women involved in the campaign were blind folded and put in a private jet where they were integrated.Salman had managed to leave her country and is now a motivational speaker and has even spoke on TED Talks who also is trying to allow Saudi women to gain rights. The Saudi government had managed to get her Australian number and are trying to get back to her home country to help women come to an agreement as well as apologise. She believes that this is all an act and if returns she will either be jailed or killed.
HR activists have stated that Saudi women have been tourched, abused in jail , women have reported they have been electrocuted,raped, whipped, sexually harassed and havefaced verbal threats. 
Coming from a Muslim family and being Muslim myself I can see how Saudi Arabia tries to use the shariah laws and impose it inside their countries. Some of the laws that are in the shariah law aren’t compulsory but the government have worked their way around to try and make it look like it is part of the religion . Being from London where I live have grown up around the westernised culture my environment which is known to be more catholic is less strict which allows me to be less governed when it comes to my religion where as in Saudi Arabia it’s whole culture normals and values is based around Islam which from my perspective I feel like the government are more so fundamentalist as in Islam The Prophet Mohammed was a feminist and worshipped women and stated that women are as equal as men but the religion has been altered by individuals to suit themselves.I’m grateful that I live in a country where I have rights and I’m also allowed to worship my religion at the same time. I really admire the women who risk their life’s to be bel to get rights. This documentary is available to what on youtube -https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4_NppxAt_cY