Muslims and Rights Activists Call for Women's
Rights, Freedom for Nathalie Morin, at Saudi Arabia Embassy

Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.)

http://www.realcourage.org/2010/06/womens-rights-ksa/

On June 26, 2010, at the Saudi Arabian Embassy in
Washington DC, Muslim

women, Muslim men, and other supporters of human rights called for
women's rights in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Specifically,
the Muslims

for Progressive Values (MPV). led by DC chapter activist Fatima
Thompson, sought to protest the male

guardianship program, and the conditions of gender apartheid for
women in Saudi Arabia, while Saudi King Abdulaziz was attending the G20
summit in Canada. The Washington Times also reported on the plans for
the protest in their June

25 article, "Women's rights supporters to protest outside Saudi
mission."

Muslims for Progressive Values (MPV) DC chapter
activist Fatima Thompson Leads Saudi Arabia Protest in Washington DC -
June 26, 2010

A Canadian woman, Nathalie Morin, has

been held against her will in Saudi Arabia, by her common-law
husband since 2005. Nathalie Morin has been a victim of conjugal
violence, confinement and abuse, and activist had photographs of the
abuse of Nathalie Morin and her children. The Canadian

National Post reported on the plight of Nathalie Morin and the
efforts of Canadian political leaders in seeking to help her in a
report: "Help sought for Canadian family in Saudi Arabia." According

to the National Post, Nathalie Morin's common-law husband Samir
Said Ramthi Al Bishi, "met with Canadian officials in Saudi Arabia on
Sept. 22, at which time he demanded $300,000 in exchange for the
release of Ms. Morin and the children."

Nathalie Morin, shown here with her eldest son,
Samir (now nearly seven years old), says she has been trying to return
to Canada for 2½ years. (Family photo)

At the June
26, 2010 protest, Muslim women and men, as well as other human rights
activists, condemned the mistreatment of Nathalie Morin demanding that
she and her children, and other similarly detained were allowed to
return to their home countries for safety. The MPV
protest statement sought to "declare to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
and the U.S. Government that Americans are demanding Nathalie Morin
and her children, as well as any foreign nationals held captive, be
returned to their countries immediately, that they respect the
human rights of women and children and ensure the safety of Nathalie
Morin and the safety of her children."

June
26, 2010: Protest at Saudi Arabian Embassy Calls for Release of Nathalie
Morin and Respect for Women's Rights

The leader of
the protest, Fatima Thompson spoke to television media on the subject,
and a Saudi woman gave an interview on the story in Arabic. When
additional reports are available, this blog posting will be updated.

Protesters marched around the Saudi Arabian Embassy and chanted "Free
Nathalie Morin," "No Guardian for Mature Women," "End Gender
Apartheid," and "Saudi Arabia Keep Your Promises."

Protesters at June 26, 2010 Call for Women's
Rights Outside Saudi Arabian Embassy

Protesters

Marching Outside Saudi Arabian Embassy

Protesters
were showing their signs and chanting to individuals entering the Saudi
embassy. One Saudi Arabian embassy employee came out with a camera to
take the photographs of the protesters.

Protesters

Marching Outside Saudi Arabia Embassy

Protesters also
showed their signs to drivers going past the area, near the John F.
Kennedy Center. Some drivers saw the protesters and stopped to give a
"thumbs up" in support of their efforts.

Message on Guardianship
Program

Several Muslim men came and joined the protest
at the Saudi Arabian embassy, and marched together with Muslim women
and rights activists in support of Nathalie Morin and women's rights in
Saudi Arabia.

Muslim
Women and Men Protesting Together for Women's Rights - June 26, 2010
Protest Outside Saudi Arabian Embassy

One man joined
the protest whose family came from an African nation as workers and had
lived in Saudi Arabia for two generations without gaining citizenship.

Protester Outside Saudi
Embassy

Fatima Thompson was speaking to Muslim men on
the plight of Saudi women as they passed by the protest group, seeking
their support for women's rights.

Protest Leader Fatima Thompson Speaks with Muslim
Men on Women's Issues

Some protesters also distributed
a fliers with a report:

-- "UN:

Saudi Arabia Pledges End of Men's Control Over Women"

Protesters sought to urge the Saudi Arabian government to be
responsible for its pledges for women's rights.

The protesters also included Jeffrey Imm from the volunteer human
rights group Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.), whose
group plans an event at the White
House on women's rights and religious freedom on Tuesday, June 29 at 12
Noon (see also Adobe

Acrobat PDF flier).

The Gulf

Institute also reportedly has a June 29 White House event at 10 AM -
as more information is available about this 10 AM event - this blog
posting will be updated.

Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.)'s
Jeffrey Imm at June 26, 2010 Saudi Arabia Embassy Protest for Women's
Rights

[Additional photographs at Online photo gallery of photographs of
June 26 protest taken by Responsible for Equality And Liberty
(R.E.A.L.)]

Saudi Arabian Embassy

Outside Saudi Arabian
Embassy

==================================

Press Release from Muslims for Progressive Values (MPV)

PROTEST - Nathalie Morin and Gender Apartheid - Saturday June 26, 2010
at 1:30pm

PROTEST

Saturday June 26th, 2010, 1:30 pm in front of the Embassy of Saudi
Arabia

601 New Hampshire Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20037

To denounce the confinement of Nathalie Morin and her children, and
foreign nationals, in Saudi Arabia

Canadian, Nathalie Morin who is 26 years old, along with her three
small children, has been held against her will in Saudi Arabia by her
common-law husband since 2005. A victim of conjugal violence,
confinement and abuse, Nathalie must return to Canada with her children.
But in Saudi Arabia a woman must have the authorization of her male
guardian to leave the territory and her aggressor will not allow this.

Gender apartheid and the male guardianship system of Saudi Arabia is a
violation of women’s human rights and international law. As long as
the U.S. and Saudi governments consider Nathalie and her children’s
case a private affair, they will not deploy all efforts to ensure their
safety and bring them home to Canada. During this time, Nathalie’s
condition continues to deteriorate as the abuse worsens.

On June 26th and 27th, representatives of the Saudi government will
participate in the G-20 summit in Toronto to discuss the economy. In
June 2009 Obama stated in his speech in Cairo: «But I do have an
unyielding belief that all people yearn for certain things: the ability
to speak your mind and have a say in how you are governed; confidence
in the rule of law and the equal administration of justice; government
that is transparent and doesn't steal from the people; the freedom to
live as you choose.

These are not just American ideas; they are human rights. And that is
why we will support them everywhere.» We call on President Obama to
defend human rights by demanding that any foreign nationals held captive
in Saudi Arabia be allowed to exit the country.

This protest is to declare to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the
U.S. Government that Americans are demanding Nathalie Morin and her
children, as well as any foreign nationals held captive, be returned to
their countries immediately, that they respect the human rights of
women and children and ensure the safety of Nathalie Morin and the
safety of her children.

Location: 601 New Hampshire Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20037

We will not abandon Nathalie and her children to an undeserved fate

Information: http://www.nathaliemorin.org/
E-mail: soutiennathaliemorin@gmail.com

Contact Information for MPV:

Ani Zonneveld - MPV-USA (national organization) ani@mpvusa.org
323-842-2869

Fatima Thompson - MPV-DC (local chapter) thompson.fatima@gmail.com
703-901-0720

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