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“I’ve kind of been … in awe.”

Photo by Handout/Amnesty International Canada

But lately that awe has given way to fear. Since spring of 2018, al-Hathloul, 29, has been held in detention along with several other women’s rights activists with no end in sight. As the activists — cast as “traitors” in Saudi media — prepare to return to criminal court on Wednesday, friends, family and human rights groups, are demanding that Canada and other Western nations do more to lean on Saudi authorities to release them.

“She’s been charged on a bunch of, in our opinion, bogus charges. And we’re obviously getting more and more worried,” said Jamal, a freelance journalist who is part of a Twitter group called Friends of Loujain.

Al-Hathloul and 10 other women made their first court appearance in Riyadh on March 13. Because reporters and diplomats were barred from attending the hearing, information was hard to come by, said Jacqueline Hansen, a spokeswoman for Amnesty International Canada.

“We know that some of the women were charged with promoting women’s rights and calling for the end of the male guardianship system. The women were also charged with contacting international organizations, foreign media and other activists, including their contact with Amnesty International.”

None of the women had access to legal representation at the time, she added.

Photo by Hiba Rajpar

Human rights groups have previously called for international monitors to enter the country after accusing Saudi interrogators of torturing some of the women — a claim that Saudi officials have denied.