On his recent high-profile tour of the United States, Saudi Arabia's crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, met with executives from Google, Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Disney, Warner Bros. and Lockheed Martin, among others, journeying from Wall Street to Silicon Valley championing his modernization plans to "unlock the potential of the Saudi people." The promise of the 32-year-old Saudi leader to reform the hidebound kingdom impressed many. But a month later, he is locking people up rather than unlocking their potential.
Last week, Saudi authorities detained at least seven people, five women and two men, who had been advocates for the right of women to drive.
The latest detentions include Loujain al-Hathloul, one of Saudi Arabia's most high-profile feminists. In March she was stopped in Abu Dhabi, where she was studying for a master's degree, forcibly seized, flown to Saudi Arabia and put in prison. Released a few days later, she was warned not to say anything on social media. Now she is detained again.
The crown prince seeks to modernize the kingdom but seems not to recognize the essential role of freedom in a modern society. You cannot deny people liberty and then expect them to flourish.
Editorial on 05/25/2018