Activist Who Opposed Driving Ban on Women Released from Prison after 3 Years

One of the most prominent women’s rights Saudi activists, Loujain al-Hathloul has been released from prison on Wednesday. 

Loujain al-Hathloul was sentenced to nearly six years in prison by a Saudi criminal court under a broad counterterrorism law. She served nearly three years in prison. The Judge had suspended two years and 10 months of her sentence and gave her credit for the time she had already served. 

She was an active participant in the movement that worked to lift the driving ban on women. She was also against ‘Wilayeh’ which is the male guardianship system prevailing in the country. 

The activist was detained for 73 days in 2014 when she attempted to drive into Saudi Arabia from the UAE. She had a UAE license but the Saudi police still arrested her. Ironically when the government lifted the driving ban on women in June 2018, she was under detention along with other women’s rights activists. 

Loujain al-Hathloul’s family is overjoyed on her return. “Loujain is at home!!!!!!!" her sister Lina al-Hathloul wrote on Twitter. 

“At home after 1001 days in prison,” she added coupled with a picture of her smiling sister with streaks of grey hair. 

Prominent women’s-rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul was released from a Saudi prison after nearly three years behind bars, her family said https://t.co/yPgtiyxjI0 pic.twitter.com/z3jvxpv5XO

— Reuters (@Reuters) February 11, 2021

The American government has welcomed her release. President Joe Biden said that it was “the right thing to do.” U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said, “Promoting and advocating for women's rights and other human rights should never be criminalised.” The State Department also said that she should never have been arrested. 

According to the family members, she was subjected to torture and sexual harassment when she was in detention however the courts have dismissed these claims. Loujain al-Hathloul’s case has sparked international attention on the issue and focussed heavily on the human rights record of the kingdom. 

Although she has been finally released from prison, she has a five year travel ban and has to remain in Saudi under probation. “Loujain is at home, but she is not free. The fight is not over,” her sister Lina wrote on Twitter. She added, “I am not fully happy without the release of all political prisoners.”