Last week, a Saudi academic was sentenced to 34 years in prison for defending women's rights on Twitter.
Her 34-year-old Salma al-Shehab, a doctoral candidate at the University of Leeds in the UK, was detained by the government in January 2021 when her husband and her two young sons.
Shehab, who has only 2,597 followers on Twitter, is an activist who used the platform to campaign for women's right to drive in Saudi Arabia. Imprisoned and tortured.
Saudi officials cited her advocacy and other tweets as evidence that Shehab used social media to "cause social unrest and destabilize civil and national security," Originally sentenced her to her six years in prison.
In her appeal, Shehab argued that her minority of supporters did not pose a security risk. In addition to using her real name on the platform, she frequently used it to share photos of her children and other harmless content. retaliated by demanding that the former dental hygienist and university lecturer be indicted based on
On August 8, a terrorism court sentenced her to 34 years, followed by a 34-year travel ban. This is the longest known sentence against a women's rights activist in Saudi Arabia, according to the Freedom Initiative
, a nonprofit that advocates for prisoners in the Middle East and North Africa.
Shehab's harsh punishment comes just weeks after President Biden clashed fists with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during hisvisit to Saudi Arabia. rice field.
The controversial young royal family, which controls a major indirect stake in Twitter through its public investment firm (PIF), has voiced dissent. Accustomed to using extreme force to silence. Just four years ago, he is said to have ordered the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Her Khalic Aljabri , an exiled Saudi, told The Guardian that the Shehab case was just the latest example of "MBS's ruthless repression machine."
"Like Khashoggi's assassination, her sentence is meant to send shockwaves both within and outside the kingdom," he said. "If you dare to criticize MBS, you will either fall apart or go to a Saudi dungeon."
Aljabri's statement echoes a Washington Post editorial published on Tuesday,saying Salman's lukewarm commitment to human rights during Biden's visit was " He quoted Shehab's text as proof that it was a farce.
"At the very least, Mr. Biden ... must demand Mr. Shehab's release," the editorial board wrote.
Shehab may be able to file additional appeals, but there are serious concerns about her safety in prison. She said her request to speak to a judge about her treatment had been denied.
Freedom Initiative case manager Dr. Bethany Al-Haydali said, "While Rujain's release was celebrated, she was in prison precisely because Salma sought her release." It remained in the
"Saudi authorities must release Salma," she said in her statement. "And don't let her sons grow up without her mother just because she asked human rights activists for her freedom."
