Saudi paper bans two female writers

A mass circulation Arabic language newspaper in Saudi Arabia stopped two well-known female journalists from writing although their articles are widely read in the conservative Gulf Kingdom, local newspapers said on Monday.

Alwatan, one of the largest newspapers in Saudi Arabia, told Amal Zahid and Amira Kashgari it would no longer publish their articles several years after they began writing in the daily, the newspapers said.

“Alwatan stopped its well-known female journalists from writing without giving any reasons for its decision,” the online Kolwatan Arabic language daily said.

“The move followed growing attacks through the internet against Saudi female journalists as some consider this against Islam and local traditions.”

The paper quoted Saudi minister of information and culture Abdul Aziz Alkhoja as saying recently that he does not mind a woman heads a local newspaper.

But he added:”The problem is that there are no qualified women to take up that post plus the fact that the editor’s job appears to be confined to men in most other countries, including advanced nations.”