Lina al-Hathloul: 'Most Saudis Know MbS Not a Reformer'

Lina al-Hathloul, sister of Saudi women's rights activist, Loujain al-Hathloul, talks to Christiane Amanpour about her sister's release from prison and says in Saudi Arabia, "activism is considered terrorism"

Saudi Women's Rights Activist Loujain al-Hathloul Released from Prison

THE GUARDIAN: Campaigner was held in custody for 1,001 days on charges denounced as politically motivated

The prominent Saudi dissident and women’s rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul has been released from prison after 1,001 days in custody.

Following a concerted campaign by her relatives and global rights groups, Hathloul was granted probation by a judge in Riyadh and released to her family on Wednesday afternoon. Her sister Lina published a photo of a smiling Loujain on Twitter early evening Riyadh time – the first image of the most celebrated political prisoner in the Kingdom since she was detained almost three years ago. “Loujain is at home !!!!!!”, the accompanying message said.

Another sister, Alia, said in a separate post that Hathloul was at their parents’ home in Saudi Arabia, adding “this is the best day of my life”. » | Martin Chulov, Middle East correspondent | Wednesday, February 10, 2021

Saudi Rights Activist Loujain al-Hathloul Sentenced to Almost Six Years in Jail

THE GUARDIAN: Court suspends some of sentence and backdates start of term, meaning she only has three months left to serve

Loujain al-Hathloul, the Saudi women’s right activist detained three years ago by the Saudi government, has been sentenced to five years and eight months in jail after being found guilty of spying with foreign parties and conspiring against the kingdom.

But the court suspended 2 years and 10 months of her sentence and backdated the start of her jail term to May 2018, meaning she only has three months left to serve.

Although human rights campaigners will say she should never have been detained for so long without charge, the prospect of serving only a further three months in jail will help defuse a potentially damaging early confrontation with the Biden administration that would have occurred if she had been locked up for a further 20 years, as seemed possible at one point. » | Patrick Wintour, Diplomatic editor | Monday, December 28, 2020

Saudi Activist Faces Terrorism Charges for Driving While Female | The Mehdi Hasan Show

Lina Alhathloul joins Mehdi Hasan to describe the torture her sister, Loujain, has faced while in prison awaiting trial for terrorism charges.

Jailed Saudi Activist Loujain al-Hathloul Accused of Passing Classified Information

Jailed Saudi activist Loujain al-Hathloul is accused of contacting "unfriendly" states and providing classified information, Saudi Arabia's foreign minister told AFP Saturday, after the campaigner's trial was transferred to a terrorism court.

Jailed Saudi Feminist Refuses to Deny Torture to Secure Release

THE GUARDIAN: Loujain al-Hathloul will not retract electric shock and sexual assault claims, family says

The prominent Saudi women’s rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul has rejected a proposal to secure her release from prison in exchange for a video statement denying reports she was tortured in custody, her family said.

Hathloul was arrested more than a year ago with at least a dozen other women’s rights activists as Saudi Arabia ended a ban on women driving cars, which many of the detainees had long campaigned for.

Some of the women appeared in court earlier this year to face charges related to human rights work and contacts with foreign journalists and diplomats, but the trial has not convened in months.

The case has drawn global criticism and provoked anger in European capitals and the US Congress after the journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered by Saudi agents inside the kingdom’s Istanbul consulate last year.

Rights groups say at least three of the women, including Hathloul, were held in solitary confinement for months and subjected to abuse including electric shocks, flogging and sexual assault. » | Reuters | Tuesday, August 13, 2019

Family of Jailed Saudi Feminist Loujain Al-Hathloul: She Was Waterboarded, Flogged & Electrocuted