London-based human rights organization ALQST condemned in a press release “Longest prison sentence imposed by Saudi authorities on peaceful activist”.
A Saudi court sentenced student Salma al-Shehab to 34 years in prison and banned her from leaving the country for the same period after her release, according to court documents seen by Agence France-Presse on Wednesday in August. 17. Is he guilty? “Aiding those who disturb public order and spread false and malicious information”In “Writing and Posting Tweets” on his personal account.
With around 2,600 Twitter followers, 34-year-old Salma al-Sehab regularly posts messages in support of women’s rights in the ultra-conservative kingdom.
According to Guardian, which are essentially retweets of messages from Saudi dissidents calling for the release of political prisoners. The British newspaper notes that the student is particularly supportive of Loujain al-Hathloul, who has been jailed for years for campaigning for women’s right to drive. Twitter has not commented on this.
Saudi woman jailed for 34 years for using Twitter https://t.co/65uYxLd6EF
A possible challenge to the Supreme Court
Salma Al-Sehab, a doctoral student in dentistry at the University of Leeds in the UK and a mother of two, was arrested in January 2021 while on holiday in Saudi Arabia.
In June 2022, a court sentenced her in the first instance to six years in prison, three of which were suspended, and the sentence was significantly increased by the judgment handed down on August 9. The decision on appeal can be challenged in the Supreme Court within thirty days.
Under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia has given women new rights to drive or travel alone. However, it continues to be singled out by NGOs for serious human rights violations, particularly its repression of political dissidents and feminist activists.
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