Saudi PhD Student Salma al-Shehab Released After Controversial Sentencing

Activists report the release of Salma al-Shehab, a Saudi PhD student previously sentenced to 34 years for social media posts advocating reforms. Her sentence was reduced after widespread calls for justice, highlighting issues of online dissent repression in the kingdom.

 

A Saudi PhD student at the University of Leeds, Salma al-Shehab, has reportedly been freed from prison in Saudi Arabia after her lengthy sentence linked to her social media activity was considerably reduced. The 36-year-old mother of two was detained during a holiday in her home country in 2021, later facing a terrorism tribunal that accused her of "disturbing public order" and destabilizing societal norms due to her posts advocating for reforms and the release of fellow activists.

Initially sentenced to six years, her punishment was escalated to an extraordinary 34 years. Following appeals, her sentence was lowered to 27 years and eventually to four years, with an additional four years suspended. The changes to her imprisonment term have not been verified by Saudi authorities as of yet.

A UK-based Saudi rights organization, ALQST, first announced her release, asserting that Shehab endured "four years of arbitrary imprisonment" simply for engaging in peaceful activism. The group emphasized the need for her complete freedom, including the ability to return to her studies at Leeds University.

Under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia has seen intensified actions against dissenters. Many peaceful online critics have faced severe sentences or even the death penalty following trials deemed unfair by human rights advocates.

As a dental hygienist and medical educator, Shehab was near the end of her program at the University of Leeds when she was arrested. Her posts included praise for notable women's rights defenders who were incarcerated just prior to the lifting of the ban on female driving in 2018.

Dana Ahmed, Amnesty International’s Middle East researcher, highlighted the troubling nature of Shehab's charges, stating that her only "crime" was expressing support for women's rights and retweeting other activists' messages. While her release has been celebrated, critics point out the ongoing plight of many others serving long sentences for their online activities, including several other women advocating for gender equality.

The BBC has reached out to both the Saudi foreign ministry and the University of Leeds seeking comments regarding the situation.