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Saudi Human Rights Commission: Feminism is not criminalized in the Kingdom

Samar

Feminism is not criminalized in the Kingdom, Saudi Human Rights Commission says.

Saudi Arabia's Presidency of State Security has issued a clarification concerning the "extremism concept" promotional video which was broadcast by the General Department for Counter-Extremism.

SaudiArabia's Presidency of State Security said on Tuesday that the person whoprepared and published the promotional video broadcasted by the General Departmentfor Counter-Extremism on the concept of extremism acted wrongly and on his ownbehalf, given the many mistakes he made in defining extremism.

Thepresidency confirmed, in an official statement, that this person was brought infor investigation and the necessary measures to restructure dealing with thesocial media were taken in order to ensure that such mistakes are neverrepeated.

Presidencyof State Security also confirmed that what was published by the newspaper"Al-Watan" on November 11 under the title "heavy penalties for womenup to imprisonment and flogging," is totally untrue, noting that it is not aregulatory or judicial body as stipulated in the Statute of Governance andother statutes.

The Presidency has taken the necessary legal procedures against Al-Watan newspaper at the competent authorities regarding the erroneous article is published.

"Feminismwas not criminalized in Saudi Arabia and that the Kingdom accorded the greatestimportance to women's rights," the Saudi Human Rights Commission stressed in atweet on Tuesday.

Thecommission praised the fundamental steps taken for the empowerment of Saudi womenwhich have granted them their complete rights.