Beirut - An image on
the cover of Vogue Arabia of a Saudi princess behind the wheel
of a red convertible has sparked anger in the conservative
kingdom following the jailing of activists who campaigned for
women to be allowed to drive.
Nearly a dozen prominent activists were arrested last month,
just weeks before the ban on women driving is due to be lifted.
Most were women who had for years campaigned for the reforms now
being implemented.
Supporters of the activists took to social media to accuse
the publishers of Vogue Arabia of insensitivity over the cover
image of Princess Hayfa bint Abdullah al-Saud.
"Tell @VogueArabia that when it falsely presents royal
princesses as champions of #SaudiWomenDriving, real women
champions are at imminent risk," tweeted Fadi Al-Qadi, whose
handle describes him as a human rights commentator.
Tell @VogueArabia that when it falsely presents royal princesses as champions of #SaudiWomenDriving, real women champions are at imminent risk (they may be tortured too) https://t.co/hSevZ6ifQY
— Fadi Al-Qadi (@fqadi) May 31, 2018
"A princess on the cover of Vogue Arabia to celebrate
lifting the ban while the women driving activists are in jail
for treason," tweeted another user under the handle
@Hala_Aldosari.
This Saudi Princess actually belongs to the royal family that banned women from driving. She has done nearly nothing for women.
So how are you going put her face on the cover like she’s a champion of #SaudiWomenDriving, while real activists who fought to change laws are in jail? https://t.co/XKpU3L5Xbw
— Selma (@salmaelz_) May 31, 2018
Some Twitter users shared doctored versions of the cover
photo swapping the face of Princess Hayfa with that of Loujain
al-Hathloul, one of the detained activists.
| @VogueArabia is telling the wrong story.
Right (Original Cover): lie..lie..lie
Left (photoshopped): reality (But Lujain is jailed paying price for #SaudiWomenDriving) pic.twitter.com/fXk4anYSYi
— Fadi Al-Qadi (@fqadi) May 31, 2018
The decision to lift a decades-old ban on women driving cars
was hailed as proof of a new progressive trend in Saudi Arabia.
But activists' arrests have raised concerns from
campaigners and the United Nations over Crown Prince Mohammed
bin Salman's approach to reforms.