Saudi court jails women's rights activist, posing challenge for Biden

By Raya Jalabi and Marwa Rashad

 

FILE PHOTO: Saudi women's rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul is seen in this undated handout picture. Marieke Wijntjes/Handout via REUTERS

 

DUBAI (Reuters) - A Saudi court on Monday sentenced prominent women's rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul to nearly six years in prison, her family said, after her conviction in a trial that has drawn international condemnation.

 

The verdict and sentence pose a challenge to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's relationship with U.S. President-elect Joe Biden, who has criticised Riyadh's human rights record.

 

Hathloul, 31, who has been held since 2018 following her arrest along with several other women's rights activists, will appeal the sentence, her sister said.

 

She was charged with seeking to change the Saudi political system and harming national security, Saudi newspapers Sabq and al-Shark al-Awsat said, under broad counter-terrorism laws.

 

The court suspended two years and 10 months of her sentence of five years and eight months - most already served since her arrest on May 15, 2018 - with a conditional release to follow, Hathloul's sister, Lina, said.

 

She could therefore be released by March 2021, with a return to prison possible if she commits any crime, the newspapers said.

 

A Saudi court on Monday (December 28) sentenced prominent women's rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul to five years and eight months in prison, local media reported, in a trial that has drawn international condemnation and as Riyadh faces new U.S. scrutiny. Emily Wither reports.

 

Hathloul was also banned from travel for five years, her sister said, adding that Hathloul cried when she was sentenced and will appeal.

 

"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," Lina said in a statement.

 

The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

 

Jake Sullivan, Biden's incoming national security adviser, appeared to reaffirm on Twitter that the Biden administration plans to elevate human rights issues in relations with Riyadh.

 

Hathloul's sentencing "for simply exercising her universal rights is unjust and troubling," Sullivan wrote in a tweet. "As we have said, the Biden-Harris administration will stand up against human rights violations wherever they occur."

 

United Nations human rights experts have called the charges "spurious." The U.N. human rights office said the conviction was "deeply troubling" and called for her urgent release.

 

Rights groups and her family say Hathloul, who campaigned for women's right to drive and to end the kingdom's male guardianship system, was subjected to abuse, including electric shocks, waterboarding, flogging and sexual assault. Saudi authorities have denied the charges.

 

In 2019, Hathloul refused to rescind her allegations of torture in exchange for early release, her family has said. A court last week dismissed the allegations, citing a lack of evidence.

 

Sabq and al-Shark al-Awsat reported the judge said had Hathloul confessed to the crimes without coercion.

 

Hathloul's sentencing came nearly three weeks after a Riyadh court jailed U.S.-Saudi physician Walid al-Fitaihi for six years, despite U.S. pressure to release him, in a case activists have called politically motivated.

 

Foreign diplomats said their trials aimed to send a message at home and abroad that Saudi Arabia would not yield to pressure on human rights issues.

 

Riyadh could also use the sentences as leverage in future negotiations with the Biden administration, one diplomat said.

 

Biden has said he will take a firmer line with the kingdom, an oil titan and a major buyer of American arms, than President Donald Trump, who was a strong supporter of Prince Mohammed and provided a buffer against international criticism following the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

 

CHARGE SHEET

Hathloul rose to prominence in 2013 when she began publicly campaigning for women's right to drive.

 

Saudi officials have said the arrests of women activists were made on suspicion of harming Saudi interests and offering support to hostile elements abroad.

 

London-based Saudi rights group ALQST said another activist, Mayaa al-Zahrani, was also convicted on Monday and given the same sentence as Hathloul. In addition, Nassimah al-Saadah was sentenced to five years in prison with two suspended in late November, according to Human Rights Watch.

 

Hathloul's family published her indictment after her case was transferred to Riyadh's Specialised Criminal Court, originally established to try terrorism suspects but which has been used over the past decade to prosecute perceived dissidents.

 

The main charges against Hathloul, which carried up to 20 years in prison, included seeking to change the Saudi political system, calling for an end to male guardianship, attempting to apply for a U.N. job, ans communicating with international rights groups and Saudi activists.

 

Hathloul was also charged with speaking to foreign diplomats and with international media about women's rights in the kingdom, including Reuters, which declined to comment.

 

"The case against Loujain, based solely on her human rights activism, is a travesty of justice and reveals the depths to which they will go to root out independent voices," said Adam Coogle of Human Rights Watch.

 

The Saudi government media office did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.

 

(Reporting by Raya Jalabi and Aziz El Yaakoubi in Dubai and Marwa Rashad in London; Additional reporting by Stephanie Nebehay in Geneva and Jonathan Landay in Washington; Writing by Raya Jalabi; Editing by Gareth Jones, Angus MacSwan, Nick Macfie and Dan Grebler)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-12-29

 

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What a backwards messed up country good luck courageous lady you are in our hearts perhaps President Biden can embarrass this thug into getting her released

Ha ha...I just read an article stating the case that Saudi Arabia is trying to become the next big tourism destination. Never in a million years would I spend 1 satang while they oppress people and live with 12th century cave man ethos.

Time to jack up the price of spare parts for all those planes and weapons we (the U.S.) sold them. 

 

:...The main charges against Hathloul, which carried up to 20 years in prison, included seeking to change the Saudi political system, calling for an end to male guardianship, attempting to apply for a U.N. job, ans communicating with international rights groups and Saudi activists. ..."

 

Stone age thinking. 

 

 

28 minutes ago, tonray said:

Ha ha...I just read an article stating the case that Saudi Arabia is trying to become the next big tourism destination. Never in a million years would I spend 1 satang while they oppress people and live with 12th century cave man ethos.

Do wonder about that tourism bit... imagine you are a woman and go to rent a car at the airport... sounds of muffle explosions and expletives... "I drive an Uber for a living! I have chauffeurs license! And you tell me I can't rent a car because I pee sitting down?!?"

Give them the 9/11 treatment, as you did when Saudi's flew planes into the World Trade Centre buildings, attack Afghanistan! ????

Saudi Arabia has been engaging in a brutal and barbaric war against South Yemen which created the world's biggest humanitarian crisis. Much of the weaponry and support has been provided by the US. And the unjust sentencing of one activist is a significant issue for the Biden administration? I guess that she looks like one of "us" makes all the difference.

4 hours ago, webfact said:

She could therefore be released by March 2021

Which kind of solves Biden’s problem...until the next case that is. 

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Hathloul was also charged with speaking

despite clearly being a woman 

Saudi should be cut off like iran. 

deleted

Edited December 29, 20205 yr by Bluespunk
It’s nearly new years

8 hours ago, Damrongsak said:

Time to jack up the price of spare parts for all those planes and weapons we (the U.S.) sold them. 

 

:...The main charges against Hathloul, which carried up to 20 years in prison, included seeking to change the Saudi political system, calling for an end to male guardianship, attempting to apply for a U.N. job, ans communicating with international rights groups and Saudi activists. ..."

 

Stone age thinking. 

 

 

stone age thinking? so all you want to do is charge them more while supplying the weaponry to kill Yemini civilians? lol, c'mon, who's thinking like a Neanderthal? 

listen to all the hypocrite countries cooing about this while they arm these animals to commit crimes against humanity - all those involved selling arms to the KSA should face the international court...

Trump has bit over 3 weeks as President. Why wait for Biden? Here's your big chance Donald! I know your first choice is to "lock her up!" but hey, grow a pair and astound most of us by speaking up for human rights.

10 hours ago, Tug said:

What a backwards messed up country good luck courageous lady you are in our hearts perhaps President Biden can embarrass this thug into getting her released

What a backwards messed up country     yep ive worked there its a mental place allright

2 hours ago, Emdog said:

Trump has bit over 3 weeks as President. Why wait for Biden? Here's your big chance Donald! I know your first choice is to "lock her up!" but hey, grow a pair and astound most of us by speaking up for human rights.

If Trump ever got that far his first question would be, "What's in it for me".

it's time for this "prince" guy to pay for his actions, many human rights activists women in Saudi Arabia are in jail, he butchered Khashoggi, Trump is no longer there to protect him, hope the new administration don't give a free "get out of"  jail card

lets hope Biden sorts the Saudi's out, unlike Trump.

KSA has oil, the rest of the world has no guts.   Poor woman is on her own.

 

I see the main charge against her was that she contacted an enemy of the state ..... the UN ..... to apply for a job.  Saus it all that Saudi sees the UN as an enemy.

10 hours ago, from the home of CC said:

listen to all the hypocrite countries cooing about this while they arm these animals to commit crimes against humanity - all those involved selling arms to the KSA should face the international court...

I agree with you but should we still be buying their oil? 

13 hours ago, whaleboneman said:

I agree with you but should we still be buying their oil? 

their oil sales should have been under sanctions when the journalist was slaughtered in Turkey, but hey, as long as they're America's pals, they have free rein in conducting any crime..

1 hour ago, from the home of CC said:

their oil sales should have been under sanctions when the journalist was slaughtered in Turkey, but hey, as long as they're America's pals, they have free rein in conducting any crime..

Trump didn't open is mouth because of the 290 million USD arms sales, all in the name of democracy and free speech, that saudi prince should have gone straight to jail after the Khashoggi affair, instead Trump said the prince may no be guilty at all... just hope the new administration has enough balls to call it (Saudi Kingdom) as it is.... dictatorship

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/us-approves-sale-of-24290m-in-bombs-to-saudi-arabia/ar-BB1ckSUo

US approves sale of $290m in bombs to Saudi Arabia  ( in reality the all deal is for 12.5 Billion)

The US state department has approved the sale of $290m in bombs to Saudi Arabia as part of a flurry of arms deals with Middle Eastern dictatorships in the last weeks of the Trump administration.

 

the hypocrisy of the Trump administration, give money to Egypt and Kuwait so they can buy US arms (the amount was on his last budget)

https://thehill.com/policy/defense/532002-trump-administration-approves-290m-bomb-sale-to-saudi

 

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-saudi-arabia-arms-sales-senate-override-veto-votes-fail

 

Edited December 30, 20205 yr by Mavideol

21 hours ago, Kinnock said:

KSA has oil, the rest of the world has no guts.   Poor woman is on her own.

 

I see the main charge against her was that she contacted an enemy of the state ..... the UN ..... to apply for a job.  Saus it all that Saudi sees the UN as an enemy.

While I agree this is a travesty, your fact is not correct.

"The main charges against Hathloul, which carried up to 20 years in prison, included seeking to change the Saudi political system, calling for an end to male guardianship, attempting to apply for a U.N. job, ans communicating with international rights groups and Saudi activists."

49 minutes ago, Mavideol said:

Trump didn't open is mouth because of the 290 million USD arms sales, all in the name of democracy and free speech, that saudi prince should have gone straight to jail after the Khashoggi affair, instead Trump said the prince may no be guilty at all... just hope the new administration has enough balls to call it (Saudi Kingdom) as it is.... dictatorship

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/us-approves-sale-of-24290m-in-bombs-to-saudi-arabia/ar-BB1ckSUo

US approves sale of $290m in bombs to Saudi Arabia  ( in reality the all deal is for 12.5 Billion)

The US state department has approved the sale of $290m in bombs to Saudi Arabia as part of a flurry of arms deals with Middle Eastern dictatorships in the last weeks of the Trump administration.

 

the hypocrisy of the Trump administration, give money to Egypt and Kuwait so they can buy US arms (the amount was on his last budget)

https://thehill.com/policy/defense/532002-trump-administration-approves-290m-bomb-sale-to-saudi

 

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-saudi-arabia-arms-sales-senate-override-veto-votes-fail

 

the US ain't the only ones profiting off the blood of others..

48 minutes ago, stevenl said:

While I agree this is a travesty, your fact is not correct.

"The main charges against Hathloul, which carried up to 20 years in prison, included seeking to change the Saudi political system, calling for an end to male guardianship, attempting to apply for a U.N. job, ans communicating with international rights groups and Saudi activists."

won't be surprised that when the noise of her jailing abates that she suffers an 'unexplainable accidental' death, they fear her influence..