News - Middle East: Human rights sources revealed that Saudi authorities have sentenced a woman to 11 years in prison for expressing her opinions on social media and advocating for women's rights in the kingdom.

Amnesty International and the Organization of Justice for Human Rights stated that Saudi Arabia’s authorities must immediately and unconditionally release Manahel al-Otaibi, a 29-year-old fitness instructor and women’s rights activist

According to the two organizations, Al-Otaibi has been sentenced to 11 years in prison because of her choice of clothing and support for women’s rights. The decision directly contradicts the authorities’ narrative of reform and women’s empowerment.  

Manahel al-Otaibi was sentenced in a secret hearing before the country’s notorious counter-terrorism court, the Specialized Criminal Court, on 9 January 2024, but the decision was only revealed weeks later in the Saudi government’s formal reply to a request for information in a Joint Communication by UN Special Rapporteurs about her case. 

Her charges related solely to her choice of clothing and expression of her views online, including calling on social media. Her sister Fawzia al-Otaibi faces similar charges but fled Saudi Arabia fearing arrest after being summoned for questioning in 2022. 

Yet, according to Saudi Arabia’s Permanent Mission in Geneva, Manahel al-Otaibi was found guilty of absurd “terrorist offenses” under articles 43 and 44 of the kingdom’s draconian Counter-Terrorism Law.

Al-Otaibi emphasized that many detainees in Saudi Arabia are subjected to torture and treatment that violates human rights standards.

The Saudi activist also highlighted the arrest of her sister, Manahil Al-Otaibi, in November 2022. She stated that her sister was recently put in semi-complete isolation, with family visits halted after she informed them of being subjected to torture in prison.

Ever since Mohammed bin Salman became Saudi Arabia’s crown prince and de facto leader in 2017, the kingdom has arrested dozens of activists, bloggers, intellectuals, and others perceived as political opponents, showing almost zero tolerance for dissent even in the face of international condemnations of the crackdown.

As a result, Islamic scholars have been executed, women’s rights campaigners have been put behind bars and tortured, and freedom of expression, association, and belief continue to be denied.

Over the past years, Riyadh has also redefined its anti-terrorism laws to target activism.

On May 15, just weeks before the Saudi authorities lifted the ban on women driving on June 24, authorities began arrests of prominent women’s rights activists and accused several of them of grave crimes like treason that appear to be directly related to their activism.

Human rights groups expressed concern that governments such as the US Biden administration and the government of President Emmanuel Macron in France have given Saudi Arabia a blank check to repress human rights. Members of Parliament in the United Kingdom tweeted in condemnation of the ruling and criticized the lack of UK government action to hold a “friend and ally” accountable on human rights.