(CNN) The trial of 11 female Saudi activists resumed in Riyadh on Wednesday, in a case that has been criticized by rights groups and drawn international condemnation.

Some of the women were charged with promoting women's rights and calling for the end of Saudi Arabia's restrictive male guardianship system, according to Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. The charges also include contact with international organizations, foreign media and other activists, the rights groups said.

The women also face charges under article six of the kingdom's cybercrime law, according to rights groups, which carry a maximum penalty of five years in jail.

One of the women, the prominent rights campaigner Loujain al-Hathloul, requested bail and extra time to respond to the charges, according to her brother Walid al-Hathloul, who told CNN that her charges were related to her rights activism, including contacting journalists, diplomats and other activists. Walid al-Hathloul said a judge is set to decide on whether to grant his sister's requests on Thursday afternoon.

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