UN worried over Saudi activists' arrest, missing prince

By Fatih Erel

GENEVA (AA) - The UN on Tuesday warned Saudi Arabia on recent arrests of a number of activists and human rights defenders working on issues relating to women’s rights and urged the authorities to provide information about a missing prince for his whereabouts.

"We are also concerned by the apparent arbitrary detention and disappearances of other people, without explanation or apparent due process," Liz Throssell, a spokeswoman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said in a press conference in Geneva.

According to UN, at least 13 activists, mostly women, have been arrested by Saudi authorities since May 15.

Prince Nawaf Talal Rasheed is a dual national (Qatari and Saudi Arabian) and was allegedly deported from Kuwait on May 12, and has not been heard of since, Throssell said.

"We urge the Saudi authorities to immediately provide information concerning his whereabouts, and make clear whether or not he has been arrested, detained or charged, and if so on what grounds," she added.