A Saudi student at Leeds University condemned to 34 years in jail for having a Twitter account and for following and retweeting dissident campaigners.
After posting tweets advocating for women’s rights in Saudi Arabia, Salma al-Shebab, 34, was charged of using Twitter to “create public disturbance and destabilize civil and national security.”
Al-Shebab, who has two young kids aged four and six, was first sentenced to six years in prison, but a Saudi terrorist court enhanced her sentence to 34 years on Monday, after the activist’s appeal.
Al-Shebab tweeted in favor of women’s rights in Saudi Arabia and in solidarity with imprisoned women’s rights activists such as Loujain al-Hathloul, calling for their release, according to the court’s sentence remarks.
Al-Shebab was detained after she shared a tweet from Al-sister, Hathloul’s Lina, that stated, “Freedom for Loujain Al-Hathloul… Freedom for all political prisoners. Your liberty is my first New Year’s wish – Happy New Year!
Al-Shebab would also sometimes repost tweets from exiled dissident activists.
She was accused of “offering aid to individuals attempting to disturb public order and undermine the safety of the general public and the stability of the state, as well as spreading false and malicious rumors on Twitter.”
Al-Shebab was detained while on vacation in Saudi Arabia in January 2021, just days before she intended to return to the United Kingdom, where she was a PhD candidate at the University of Leeds.
Al-status Shehab’s as a Shi’a Muslim is considered to have played a role in her detention and conviction.
Dr. Bethany Al-Haidari, the Saudi case manager at the U.S.-based human rights organization, stated: ‘Saudi Arabia has claimed to the world that it is enhancing women’s rights and instituting legislative reform, but there is no doubt that the situation is deteriorating with this terrible sentencing.
Unfortunately, it is hardly surprising that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman feels more powerful than ever to preside over such blatant abuses of human rights.
Salma’s social media account, where she advocated for the release of women’s rights campaigner Loujain al-Hathloul, was highlighted in the sentencing decision.
‘Although Salma was first convicted to six years in the court of first instance, her sentence was raised on appeal to thirty-four years. This is the longest known sentence for a Saudi Arabian women’s rights campaigner.
Al-Hathloul, who remains unjustly detained in Saudi Arabia due to a travel prohibition, was freed from prison mere weeks after al-arrest. Shebab’s Al-Shebab demanded the release of Al-Hathloul from jail.
Al-Haidari remarked, ‘It is ironic that while Loujain’s release was welcomed, Salma remained behind bars on the grounds that she had demanded the same release.
It is typical for Saudi authorities to prevent women activists from celebrating or claiming credit for their hard-won wins.