A Saudi court has sentenced Loujain al-Hathloul, a popular women rights activist to almost six years in confinement. Loujain al-Hathloul is seeking to appeal the sentence, her sister confirms.
She is currently facing charges of seeking to change the Saudi political system, calling for an end to male guardianship, attempting to apply for a United Nations job, and communicating with other activists like herself.
Loujain al-Hathloul has in times past flouted some of the suppressive laws against women in the Gulf nation. While the Driving ban was still in effect, Loujain al-Hathloul got arrested for driving from the UAE to Saudi Arabia. She was thereafter jailed for 73 days on charges of terrorism.
She first gained recognition in 2013 by campaigning for women to drive, the right to drive was finally granted.
This is not the first time Loujain al-Hathloul is being sentenced, she is currently serving a sentence of 5 years and 8 months, starting May 15, 2018, and which has now been conditionally reduced to end by March 2021.
Her close relations report that she has been subject to abuse, sexual assault, waterboarding, flogging, and electric shock. She also refused to retract her statement of torture in lieu of an early release.
Her sentencing also comes three weeks after other Walid al-Fitaihi for six years in a case that has been described as politically motivated.
The United Nations have expressed their displeasure on the recent development and experts have opined that the lack of regard for human rights in the nation will negatively affect the relationship between the oil-rich country and the United States.