Saudi female activist sentenced to nearly 6 years

Saudi female activist sentenced to nearly 6 years

Saudi women's rights activist, Loujain al-Hathloul, 31, has been sentenced for a term of five years and eight months under the counter-terrorism law which has been worded vaguely. The verdict has received backlash frm various rights groups and US lawmakers. Al-Hathloul is already in jail since May 2018 and 34 months of her sentence will be suspended.

Al- Hathloul was one of the activists who actively participated in campaigns for the rights of women to drive. As per the state- linked media Sabq, Saudi court charged her of agitating for change, pursuing a foreign agenda, using the internet to harm public order and cooperating with individuals and entities that have committed crimes under anti-terror laws. She has thirty days to appeal the verdict.

Her sister, Lina said in a statement, “She was charged, tried and convicted using counter-terrorism laws. My sister is not a terrorist, she is an activist. To be sentenced for her activism for the very reforms that MBS and the Saudi kingdom so proudly tout is the ultimate hypocrisy.”  This poses a challenge for the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as on one hand he made social reforms and on the other he has been pushing activists down the dark lane for bringing about social changes in the society. 

Joe Biden has said that as soon as he comes into power, human rights will be his priority. His incoming national security adviser, Jake Sullivan referred the verdict of al- Hathloul as " unjust and troubling."