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Salma Al-Shehab
Academic
Released
Date of Birth
1988
City Of Birth
Gender
Female
Nationality
Saudi
Education
Ph.D student at the University of Leeds in the UK
About The Detainee
Mother of two, and a Ph.D student at the University of Leeds in the UK
Arrest And Human Rights Violations
Date Of Arrest:
2021-01-15
City Of Internment:
Riyadh
Reason
Following her tweets calling for reforms and the release of prisoners of conscience
Method
She was arrested by the authorities in January 2021 during returning to spend her vacation in Saudi Arabia
Practices And Violations
She faced arbitrary arrest, physical and psychological torture, and her husband was pressured to divorce her.
The Human Dimension In His Detention
Her two children were left without their mother
Prison
Trial and legal proceedings
The Specialized Criminal Court initially sentenced her to 6 years in prison. However, the Criminal Appeals Court in August 2022 increased her sentence to 34 years, later reduced to 27 years, accompanied by a travel ban of equal duration
Time Line For Arrest
2022-03-05
Sentenced to 6 years in prison
2022-08-09
The Appeals Court issued a new verdict sentencing her to 34 years, followed by an equal duration travel ban
2023-01-25
The original sentence was overturned, and a new verdict issued a 27-year prison term and an travel ban of equal duration
2023-03-23
She declared a hunger strike in protest against the unfair trial and arbitrary detention she faced
2023-04-18
She ended the hunger strike due to deteriorating physical and mental health, necessitating medication
2025-02-10
Released
Arrest