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Published photo, Reuters
Loujain Al-Hathloul played key role in campaign to allow women to drive in Saudi Arabia
The family of the Saudi women’s rights activist said: Loujain Al-Hathloul, The Kingdom’s specialized criminal court rejected my appeal.
Al-Hathloul was released last month after spending nearly three years in prison, but is subject to a five-year travel ban and other restrictions.
On Wednesday, her sister said the court upheld the ruling against her, which accuses her of violating anti-terrorism law.
Al-Hathloul insists that she has committed no crime and is committed to bringing those responsible whom she accuses of torturing her to justice.
The 31-year-old activist has played a key role in a campaign to allow women to drive in Saudi Arabia.
Authorities arrested her and a dozen other activists in May 2018, just weeks before the driving ban for women was lifted, as part of a campaign targeting the opposition, under the supervision of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
For the first three months, Al-Hathloul was detained, isolated from the outside world, and not allowed to communicate with her family and lawyer.
Human rights organizations later reported accusations that interrogators tortured her and at least three other women during this time with electric shocks, lashes and sexual harassment, while the Saudi government denies that Al-Hathloul was mistreated.
Published photo, Lina alhathloul
Saudi officials said the accusations were linked to Al-Hathloul’s communication with foreign diplomats, media and activist groups, but UN human rights experts called the accusations “false”.
The suspension by the judge of the execution of part of the decision rendered against her paved the way for her release, warning against the annulment of the decision to suspend the execution of the remainder of the sentence in case she would commit crimes over the next three years, and also prevented her from leaving Saudi Arabia for five years.
At the first appeal session last week, the judge asked al-Hathloul if she regretted what she had done, according to her brother Walid.
He added in a tweet: “Loujain replied that she had proven with all her defenses that she had not committed a crime under local and international law. On what basis would she declare her remorse?”
Ahead of Wednesday’s sitting, Al-Hathloul made his first public comment since his arrest, and told people outside the courtroom: “Let’s hope for a change of judgment or a relative amendment.”
However, her sister Lina later tweeted and said: “Update: Judges upheld first verdict on Loujain Al-Hathloul, meaning Saudi Arabia insists on considering UK, Union European Union and the Netherlands (terrorist entities) and communicate with it (an act of terrorism). “
There was no immediate comment from Saudi authorities.
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