Al-Shehab, 33, was additionally banned from touring outdoors of Saudi Arabia for one more 34 years.
The PhD pupil at Leeds University within the United Kingdom had been arrested in January 2021 and was subjected to questioning periods over a interval of 265 days earlier than being dropped at the Specialized Criminal Court, based on unbiased human rights group ALQST.
She was initially given a six-year sentence late final yr — this was elevated to 34 years after al-Shehab filed an attraction, based on the paperwork.
The expenses filed in opposition to her by the Public Prosecution included “offering succor to these looking for to disrupt public order and undermine the protection of most of the people and stability of the state, and publishing false and tendentious rumors on Twitter,” ALQST mentioned.
Al Shehab advised the courtroom that with out prior warning, she was “propelled” into the months-long investigation, throughout which she was stored below solitary confinement, based on the courtroom paperwork.
The mom of two additionally requested the courtroom to consider the necessity to look after her kids and sick mom, the paperwork mentioned.
ALQST’s Head of Monitoring and Communications Lina Al-Hathloul advised CNN that al-Shehab had been arrested for supporting her sister Loujain al-Hathloul — a distinguished activist who spent greater than 1,000 days in jail following a May 2018 sweep that focused well-known opponents of the dominion’s since-rescinded regulation barring ladies from driving — and different prisoners of conscience on Twitter.
Lina Al-Hathloul mentioned within the ALQST assertion that al-Shehab’s sentence “makes a mockery of the Saudi authorities’ claims of reform for ladies and of the authorized system,” including that it “exhibits that they continue to be hellbent on harshly punishing anybody who expresses their opinions freely.”
They urged that the Saudi authorities launch al-Shehab and demanded that the dominion defend freedom of speech.
Al-Shehab’s Twitter account stays on-line with a pinned tweet that reads: “Freedom for prisoners of conscience and all of the oppressed of the world.”
The US State Department mentioned it’s “learning” the case on Wednesday.
“But I can say it is a normal matter and I can say this with none caveat and resolutely: exercising freedom of expression to advocate for the rights of girls shouldn’t be criminalized,” mentioned State Department spokesperson Ned Price at a briefing with reporters.
Asked if Saudi Arabia had been emboldened by latest US engagements with the nation, Price responded that “our engagement… has made clear… that human rights is central to our agenda.”
Reporting contributed by CNN’s Kylie Atwood.
