Saudi Princesses denied food for over 60 days

31 May 2014 02:57 pm - 39 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Deprived of their basic needs, the four Saudi royal princesses kept in 13-year isolation by their father, King Abdullah, have surpassed 60 days without food.

The monarch’s daughters fell out of their father’s favor for speaking out against the ill treatment of women in the Gulf kingdom. It is also believed that the king was angry at the girls' mother for not giving him a son.

Two of the princesses, Sahar and Jawaher, say they are being kept against their will in two mansions inside a royal compound in the city of Jeddah, along with their other two sisters – Maha and Hala. They say they have been deprived of food for over 60 days and have very little access to water.

“It’s a horrible situation, it’s a forced famine basically. They are confining us, depriving us of food and water, freedom and rights. We are struggling, we are surviving, we are resisting, we are trying our best to stay alive,” the two sisters told RT via Skype.

“How can we continue living like this? We have to take the risk of [speaking out]."

Having spent so much time deprived of freedom, they struggle to understand why they have been locked up.

“The king and his sons need to answer these questions: What are we charged with? What exactly is our crime?”

“What is the crime of 99 percent of women in this country, who are basically suffering under male guardianship? A male guardian can do whatever he wants; he can cut off everything and she is left with nothing,” they said on behalf of the female citizens of the ultraconservative kingdom.

“We are making these statements right now [in order to] gain our rights, our freedoms.”
Their health is slowly deteriorating. Past appeals by their mother, Alanoud Al-Fayez, for outside assistance - including from Western leaders like US President Barack Obama - have not come to fruition. The administration is turning a blind eye, according to some critics. But the situation cannot be helped by appealing to the Saudi government either, as it maintains that the princesses are in fact perfectly free to move around the city of Jeddah, provided they are accompanied by bodyguards.

The four sisters are between the ages of 38 and 42, with at least one said to be suffering from psychological problems.

Earlier, in rare interviews with foreign media, the sisters said they don’t have any passports or IDs and the king has also forbidden any man to seek his daughters’ hands in marriage. The entire time they have been kept in isolation, both electricity and water have been shut off at random, often for days – even weeks.

The 89-year-old monarch and father of 38 children, given to him by multiple wives, is listed among Forbes magazine's most wealthy and influential men, with a fortune estimated at around US$17 billion.

The princesses' mother, Al-Fayez, divorced King Abdullah in 1980, consequently leaving for London in 2001. The sisters' ordeal then began around 2002. Less than one year after their mother escaped, Abdullah began tormenting his daughters. The sisters told their mother that he drugged their food and water to keep them docile when they openly spoke against women being illegally detained and placed in mental wards.

The director of the Institute for Gulf Affairs, Ali Al-Ahmed, believes the grave human rights situation in the kingdom is compounded by a political strategy from the outside, whose purpose is to keep any negative press at bay, and is a force to either change things for the better or keep them as they are.

“This is the nature of the Saudi monarchy, who are oppressing the people in their country. But now it’s very clear that they’re oppressing their own female members. The king who is portrayed in the international media – in the Western media - as a reformer, is oppressing his own daughters; healthy adult women, who have been held for 13 years…they’re being starved deliberately,” Al-Ahmed told RT.

“People outside the country definitely can speak and hold those people who are responsible for this crime accountable; namely the Saudi king and his sons…who are deliberately doing this.”

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Comments - 39

Ranjo Sunday, 01 June 2014 04:38 PM

[quote name="HambanGoiya"]Compared to Saudi King Our King is thousand one times better.[/quote]

So, what happened to his daughter?

Niro Sunday, 01 June 2014 05:17 AM

[quote name="Rehan"]The daughters don't look like they were deprived of food... They look healthy ...[/quote]

Did you visit them personally to confirm your statement?

AsankA Thennakoon Sunday, 01 June 2014 08:25 AM

of course, he give the best care for his family

Concerned Sunday, 01 June 2014 08:26 AM

These also human right abuses. Why the west is silent?

Chris Sunday, 01 June 2014 08:28 AM

At least they are not hypocites...

Birdseye Sunday, 01 June 2014 12:32 PM

Well said.. King of this world, yet a beggar in Hell! so sad... If you have a heart for these beautiful women suffering out there, thinking of your own mother, wife, sister or girlfriend, without a voice in the name of Allah, before you face damnation. Shut all other crap in the name of human rights and start from here, money the greatest filth of this world...!

Birdseye Sunday, 01 June 2014 12:39 PM

At least they were braved enough to come forward, don't wish too much you might end up in their shoes, is that enough to keep you silent!

dharmapala Sunday, 01 June 2014 01:46 PM

King Abdullah, the guardian of Meccah. Silly goat.

king Sunday, 01 June 2014 02:08 PM

it is a kingdom of hell.authorities know only how to loot the public money.

sanityprevails Sunday, 01 June 2014 03:34 PM

Our King deprived drinking water for a whole community and guess what happened next?

Ando Sunday, 01 June 2014 04:35 AM

You must be desperately waiting for a chance to do some marketing ("Kade yanna") for "our king".

Azee Monday, 02 June 2014 07:58 AM

How is that so much of their bodies is exposed We expect to see only half covered eyes in Saudi women. via DM Android App

ABC Monday, 02 June 2014 08:22 AM

HR is not an issue when violators have plenty of money. Big bros like US UK will not have any advantage pursuing these matters. via DM Android App

NIHAL FERNANDO Monday, 02 June 2014 03:58 AM

I quite agree wth you.

MGR Monday, 02 June 2014 08:10 AM

do not comment if youdont know the reality...first look and make your country well & safe then look others....as your governement said....

joke Monday, 02 June 2014 01:54 PM

How can she live for 60 days she must b a camel...... Americans making big news

Dilshan Fernando Monday, 02 June 2014 09:11 AM

So you don't you belong to this country?

M. Nabi Monday, 02 June 2014 09:15 AM

Why are they acting like this? terrorism, killings, barbarism to women, war against non believers? Why why why?

mohamed asfar Monday, 02 June 2014 10:24 AM

if these princesses have power they would have done the same to their maids. do not cry for anyone in that family.

Nihar Monday, 02 June 2014 04:25 PM

[quote name="Rehan"]The daughters don't look like they were deprived of food... They look healthy ...[/quote]

Exactly my point...they look fresh and look to start up a mud sling with UK backed mother...typical.. Something fishy....

Pramitha Fernando Saturday, 31 May 2014 06:19 PM

If they are doing this kind of cruelty to their own, imagine how they treat their domestic help (house maids). Saudi Arabia is one of the worst countries in the world.

Sanjeewa Abeysuriya Saturday, 31 May 2014 03:31 PM

Big brother of world, you can get your embassy to visit and report

bobby Saturday, 31 May 2014 03:38 PM

BBS is gona have a field day today :D :D

Yehiya Saturday, 31 May 2014 03:38 PM

King Abdullah is worse administration in arab world.

wijebahu Saturday, 31 May 2014 03:52 PM

USA, UK if you need to address real human right issues here are the evidence. don't jut cough for Saudi money.

Easwaran Saturday, 31 May 2014 04:06 PM

Can we call this Children Rights violations?

dinesh Saturday, 31 May 2014 04:06 PM

Case for UN / UNHRC / Obama & Cameron

Mason Saturday, 31 May 2014 04:10 PM

The Saudi Princesses being treated this way, it is needless to say how the housemaids who seek employment in this country would be treated. Our government turns a blind eye to their sufferings because of they need the petro-dollars earned by these workers.

Grace Saturday, 31 May 2014 04:12 PM

Any father who treats his children in this way can not call himself a civilized person. What is the punishment for such fathers according to Sharia law?

CN Saturday, 31 May 2014 05:54 PM

Where is Navin Pillay? and the champions of Human Rights?

HambanGoiya Saturday, 31 May 2014 03:23 PM

Compared to Saudi King Our King is thousand one times better.

Che Saturday, 31 May 2014 11:50 PM

this is why US gov protecting those monarch why dont USA need an election in Saudi like they demand in other muslim countries world muslims hate Saudi royal family and their anti islamic activities. women should be equally treated in islam. Benazir Sheikh haseena all from muslim countries via DM iPad app

Muthyavan. Sunday, 01 June 2014 12:43 AM

What about the plight and status of more than half a million Sri Lankan workers including women employed as domestic aid in this country. Are they also locked up and suffering like these Saudi princess. via DM iPad app

nimal Saturday, 31 May 2014 08:58 PM

No wonder...........

Tom Sunday, 01 June 2014 07:38 AM

Why Camoron & US silence.. Saudi is not in this planat.. Are those people not Humans.. Killing public places.. Where is the Pillay.. Send Cofi Annan there Not here... Why UN Sec. appoint committe to advice to him on this matter Patriot Sri Lankan should concern all this via DM Android App

MAN Sunday, 01 June 2014 02:51 AM

WARNING: THEY NEED TO ESTABLISH SAUDI LAW IN SRI LANKA TOO

Rehan Sunday, 01 June 2014 02:53 AM

The daughters don't look like they were deprived of food... They look healthy ...

Izmy Sunday, 01 June 2014 02:57 AM

This shows Saudis are still uncivilized and if these princess are treated this way no wonder they didn't have any mercy when Rizana the housemaid was executed.

Jason Sunday, 01 June 2014 03:26 AM

WHEN IT COMES TO MATTERS LIKE THIS, AS USUAL THEY ARE SLEEPING!

THEY WON'T DARE RAISE THEIR VOICES AS IT MAY AFFECT THEIR INTERESTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST.

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Saudi Princesses denied food for over 60 days

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