Saudi Arabia activist sentenced to 11 years in prison for 'support' of women's rights

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

Saudi Arabia activist sentenced to 11 years in prison for ‘support’ of women’s rights

Manahel al-Otaibi, who promoted female empowerment on social media, was arrested under anti-terror laws

Stephanie Kirchgaessner in Washington
Wed 1 May 2024 01.08 BST
Last modified on Wed 1 May 2024 16.05 BST

A young women’s rights activist in Saudi Arabia was secretly sentenced to 11 years in prison by an anti-terrorism court after being arrested for “her choice of clothing and support for women’s rights”.

Saudi officials confirmed in a statement to the United Nations high commissioner for human rights that Manahel al-Otaibi was sentenced on 9 January for what the Saudi government called “terrorist offences”.

Al-Otaibi, who was sentenced in a secret hearing before the counter-terrorism court, was found guilty of charges related to a Saudi anti-terror law that criminalises the use of websites to “broadcasts or publishes news, statements, false or malicious rumors, or the like for committing a terrorist crime”.

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Among other charges, Otaibi was accused by Saudi authorities of using a hashtag – translated to #societyisready – to call for an end to male guardianship rules. Her sister, Fouz al-Otaibi was also accused of not wearing decent clothing but was able to flee Saudi Arabia before her arrest.

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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/may/01/manahel-al-otaibi-saudi-arabia-womens-rights-activist-sentenced-11-years-prison-anti-terrorism-court

[Biophilic]

1. Stuff of republican wet dreams. If they could, they would. nt

[byronius]

2. I spent my childhood in Dhahran.

Was forced to watch several beheadings. The dean of the college was imprisoned for years, his family waiting for further arrests.

It was an experience that led me to deeply fear religious rule. Cruelty to women, children and animals was common.

The pro-Hamas protesters wouldn’t survive Saudi rule.

[Timeflyer]

3. What a horror show of a country for women.