Loujain al Hathloul, who campaigned for Saudi women to get the right to drive, has been detained since May last year.
Walid al Hathloul said on Tuesday that his sister was not being allowed a lawyer during the trial. It is not clear if any last-minute decision was made to allow her legal representation.Ms al Hathloul campaigned for women to drive in Saudi Arabia and protested against the system of male guardianship, where men control aspects of the lives of female family members - from travel and jobs to marriage.
She and the other detainees have reported being subjected to violent and mental torture, as well as sexual abuse while in detention. Saudi authorities deny this.The authorities have claimed the activists are traitors and are being held on suspicion of harming the country's interests and offering support for hostile elements abroad.
Although the women appeared to be being charged separately, ALQST, a London-based Saudi rights group, said the women were charged under the kingdom's cybercrime law. On Thursday, representatives of Saudi Arabia are due to respond to recommendations on human rights in the country, made by the United Nations.
The kingdom will either accept or rebuff those recommendations and will then explain its reasons for doing so, after which other countries and organisations will have an opportunity to reply.More stories
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