RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (CHATNEWST) — Saudi authorities have released Salma al-Shehab, a women’s rights activist who spent four years in prison on “terrorism-related” charges linked to her social media posts, Amnesty International said Thursday.
Al-Shehab, a doctoral student at the University of Leeds in the U.K., was arrested in 2021 after tweeting in support of women’s rights. She was initially sentenced to 34 years in prison, later reduced to 27 years, before being released this week.
“We’re overjoyed that Salma is finally free after enduring years of injustice, including 300 days in solitary confinement and denial of legal representation,” Amnesty International said in a statement. “Saudi authorities must now ensure she is not subjected to a travel ban or any other restrictions on her freedom.”
Al-Shehab’s case drew global condemnation, with human rights groups calling her imprisonment a symbol of Saudi Arabia’s crackdown on online expression. Her release comes amid a wave of prisoner releases this year, but activists warn that many others remain behind bars or under travel bans.
Among those still imprisoned are Manahel al-Otaibi, serving 11 years for advocating women’s rights online, Mohammed al-Ghamdi, sentenced to 30 years for tweets critical of authorities, and Abdulrahman al-Sadhan, serving 20 years for satirical social media posts.
“No one should be punished for peacefully expressing their opinions,” Amnesty said. “Saudi authorities must release all those unjustly detained for their online speech.”
Despite recent reforms, Saudi Arabia continues to face criticism for suppressing dissent and restricting freedom of expression.
