Saudi women activists on trial after a year in detention

Ten Saudi women appeared in court Wednesday for the first time since being detained last year in a sweeping crackdown on activists, ratcheting up scrutiny of the kingdom's human rights record.

The trial of the women, who have been held for nearly a year without charge, comes as Saudi Arabia seeks to placate international criticism over last year's brutal murder of insider-turned-critic Jamal Khashoggi.

Prominent activists Loujain al-Hathloul, Hatoon al-Fassi, Aziza al-Yousef and Eman al-Nafjan were among those who attended Riyadh's criminal court, where they heard charges raised against them, court president Ibrahim al-Sayari said.

Family members of the women -- some of whom allegedly faced torture and sexual harassment during interrogation -- were permitted to attend the opening court session, but reporters and western diplomats were barred from entering.

The charges against the women were not immediately disclosed to the public.

"It now seems that the authorities will charge the ...