The Foreign Secretary has been urged to intervene in the case of a Leeds University student who has been jailed in Saudi Arabia for three decades for using Twitter.
Salma al-Shehab, 34, who lives in England, was arrested early last year while visiting her family.
The doctoral student was initially sentenced to six years in prison, but this week it was increased to 34 years after an appeal.
It is said to be the longest sentence for a women’s rights activist in Saudi Arabia.
Hilary Benn, the Labor MP for Leeds Central, has now written to Liz Truss to intervene in al-Shehab.
“All she did was use her Twitter account to advocate for women’s rights and greater freedom, and call for the release of activists imprisoned in Saudi Arabia,” her letter said.
The Leeds MP wrote: “Mrs. Al-Shehab has two young children and a husband, and I’m sure you’ll agree that this is an absolutely shocking sentence that runs counter to Saudi Arabia’s claim to promote human rights, especially for women.
“I would be very grateful if you could make representations to the Saudi authorities on behalf of al-Shehab so that he can be released to return to his family and his students at the University of Leeds.”
The Secretary of State was urged to intervene in the Salma Al Shehab issue
(Getty Images)
According to the official indictment, the judges accused al-Shehab of “disrupting public order” and “disrupting the social fabric”.
They said al-Shehab “spread false rumours” by following and retweeting dissenting accounts on Twitter.
Salma Al-Shehab is a student at the University of Leeds
(Now Democracy)
The Special Court for Terrorism and National Security Offenses handed down an unusual 34-year prison sentence, to be followed by a 34-year travel ban.
The University of Leeds Al-Shehab said she was a final-year doctoral student at the medical school and was “deeply concerned” to hear about the development.
It comes amid a crackdown on dissent by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whose government has granted women the right to drive and other new freedoms.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has been approached for comment.
Additional reporting by The Associated Press
