Human rights campaigners claim that Salma al-Shehab, a Saudi PhD student at the university of Leeds, was freed from Saudi Arabian jail after her term for allegedly critical social media activities was lowered.
 
In 2021, the 36-year-old mother of two was detained while on vacation in her own nation. A Saudi terrorist tribunal first sentenced her to six years in jail for "disturbing public order" and "destabilizing the social fabric" for posting on social media calling for changes and the release of activists. Her sentence was eventually raised to 34 years. It was eventually lowered to four years with an extra four years suspended following several appeals.

ALQST, a Saudi rights group headquartered in the UK, was the first to report on her release. They called her detention "arbitrary" and asked the government to give her complete freedom, including the ability to return to school at the university of Leeds.
 
For her nonviolent action, Salma suffered four years of unfair incarceration. In a statement, ALQST stated that she should now be permitted to travel and pursue her academic goals.
 
A Repression of Dissension
 
Over the past eight years, Crown prince Mohammed bin salman has spearheaded a broad crackdown on opposition in Saudi Arabia. Rights organizations claim that after wrongful prosecutions in terrorist courts, nonviolent activists and critics have been subjected to severe penalties, including as long jail sentences and even the death penalty.
 
Shehab, a dental hygienist and instructor in her last year at the school of Medicine at the university of Leeds, has advocated on social media for changes and the liberation of well-known intellectuals and activists. A group of women's rights activists who were imprisoned just before saudi arabia abolished its ban on women driving in 2018 were hailed as "prisoners of conscience" in one of her posts.
 
Global censure
 
Shehab had been charged with terrorism for just tweeting in favor of women's rights and elevating the voices of Saudi women's rights activists, noted Dana Ahmed, Middle east researcher for Amnesty International.
 
"As we commemorate Salma's release today, it's crucial to keep in mind that many others are serving lengthy sentences for engaging in comparable online activism," ahmed stated. "This includes Abdulrahman al-Sadhan, who was imprisoned for 20 years for satirical posts, and women like Manahel al-Otaibi and Nourah al-Qahtani."

Demand More Comprehensive Reforms
 
Others who have been imprisoned for peaceful expression and internet activities are still being called for to be released by activists. Shehab's case has brought Saudi Arabia's human rights record to the attention of the world and sparked worries about the kingdom's restrictions on free expression.
 
 
 
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SIBY JEYYA

11/02/2025 10:34 AM