Two transgender women from Pakistan have allegedly been tortured to death by Saudi Arabian police, who reportedly threw them into sacks and beat them with sticks.
Known only as Amna and Meeno, they were among 35 people arrested for "cross dressing" during a police raid on a house in Riyadh, claim human rights activists.
"Amna, 35, who belonged to the Mingora area of Swat, and Meeno, 26, who was from Peshawar, died in police custody. The police allegedly packed them in sacks and thrashed them with sticks in prison," reports Pakistan's Express Tribune.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The group was said to be selecting a new "guru" at a "Guru Chela Chalan" gathering, a ceremony celebrated in the Pakistani transgender community, reports The Independent. Only 11 of them have been able to afford the 150,000 riyals (£33,000) payment for their release.
Gender reassignment surgery is illegal in Saudi Arabia, while homosexuality is punishable by death.
Qamar Naseem, a transgender rights activist from the Blue Veins campaign group, said it was a "very confusing" situation and that many people were feeling "delicate and scared".
He said: "Gender fluid people are treated badly, sometimes flogged, and if someone is arrested on the same law for a second time they can be executed.
"Torturing humans after throwing them into bags and beating them with sticks is inhumane. No one is there to save them as the life of a transgender is not of any value to anyone, not even for our own government."
Amnesty International said it had been unable to confirm the attack, but urged authorities to conduct a "thorough and independent" investigation.
It said: "The authorities must diligently investigate any possible discriminatory motive in these crimes, including discrimination on the basis of gender identity and expression."
-
Political cartoons for November 29Cartoons Saturday's political cartoons include Kash Patel's travel perks, believing in Congress, and more
-
Nigel Farage: was he a teenage racist?Talking Point Farage’s denials have been ‘slippery’, but should claims from Reform leader’s schooldays be on the news agenda?
-
Pushing for peace: is Trump appeasing Moscow?In Depth European leaders succeeded in bringing themselves in from the cold and softening Moscow’s terms, but Kyiv still faces an unenviable choice
-
Femicide: Italy’s newest crimeThe Explainer Landmark law to criminalise murder of a woman as an ‘act of hatred’ or ‘subjugation’ but critics say Italy is still deeply patriarchal
-
Brazil’s Bolsonaro behind bars after appeals run outSpeed Read He will serve 27 years in prison
-
Americans traveling abroad face renewed criticism in the Trump eraThe Explainer Some of Trump’s behavior has Americans being questioned
-
Nigeria confused by Trump invasion threatSpeed Read Trump has claimed the country is persecuting Christians
-
Sanae Takaichi: Japan’s Iron Lady set to be the country’s first woman prime ministerIn the Spotlight Takaichi is a member of Japan’s conservative, nationalist Liberal Democratic Party
-
Russia is ‘helping China’ prepare for an invasion of TaiwanIn the Spotlight Russia is reportedly allowing China access to military training
-
Interpol arrests hundreds in Africa-wide sextortion crackdownIN THE SPOTLIGHT A series of stings disrupts major cybercrime operations as law enforcement estimates millions in losses from schemes designed to prey on lonely users
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American citiesUnder the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
