Read on Twitter
Thread on Saudi activist Loujain al-Hathloul — her early online fame, joining the women driving movement, first and second detentions, this week’s jail sentence and what comes next:
Loujain first came to the attention of many Saudis around seven years ago after going viral on Keek, a short video-sharing app (now defunct) that became popular in the kingdom. At the time she was studying college in Canada
The fact that she decided to appear without a headscarf and to use her real name when the majority of Saudi women still kept their identities online private elicited some strong reactions, but she did not appear intimidated by all the attacks and threats
Asked to reflect on her Keek videos and whether she was deliberately trying to provoke a conservative society, Loujain said she was surprised at the reaction which probably had more to do with who she is than what she actually said
“I was shocked that people found my opinions shocking to society. I didn’t expect that,” she said. “I don’t think they are shocked by the opinions themselves as much as expressing them eloquently and comfortably, particularly by a girl from Najd who didn’t fit the stereotypes.”
Loujain is strongly driven by her own beliefs and has never seemed overly concerned what people think of her or how she is being judged. She has always come across as someone who knows what she wants and is often able to express that in clear, simple terms
She did not set out to be an activist, but her rise came as the campaign to lift the ban on women driving gained new momentum in the Arab Spring years. Having a young popular social media personality like her on board was seen as a boost to the campaign
Her decision to drive a car from the UAE to Saudi Arabia was risky and controversial. Some activists saw it as a publicity stunt that would be costly and counterproductive. She was detained for 73 days, an experience she later described as “psychologically traumatising”
She had no regrets: “Those who say what I have done delayed the decision to allow women to drive…I don’t think I had any role in that. The first campaign was in ‘91 or ‘90 and it didn’t change anything in women’s status,” Loujain said.
She continued: There have been 20 years between the first campaign and the second campaign. Twenty years of silence that didn’t change anything. So those who say ‘Loujain, calm down, keep quiet, officials need time to change their mind…’ They had twenty years to do that.”
Decision to lift the driving ban was announced in Sept 2017, came into effect in June 2018. Many activists who fought for years for that right did not get to celebrate the date as several prominent members of the campaign, including Loujain, were arrested a month earlier
Observers were puzzled by the arrests. Feminist activism was not historically seen as threatening to the ruling system. Activists supported MBS’s social reforms. Early speculation suggested the govt did not want activists to claim any credit for lifting the ban on driving
Even more surprising was how it was presented to the domestic audience: names and photos of the detained activists printed on the front pages of newspapers with words like “spies” and “traitors”. Vicious social media attacks as part of a rising tide of Saudi ultranationalism
Govt accuses the women of undermining state security by carrying out intelligence activities, receiving financial support from outside. Officials have repeatedly insisted that the arrests are not related to human rights activism. Activists reject the accusations
Although Loujain was charged in March 2019, her trial was repeatedly delayed before a series of hearings took place in quick succession this month, and on Monday a verdict was announced: 68 months in prison, with half of that term suspended
Sentence by the Specialised Criminal Court in Riyadh is based on Saudi anti-terrorism law. Charges against her include seeking to change the country’s political system and “execute a foreign agenda inside the kingdom using the internet”.
Court said the decision to suspend 34 months of the jail term was “out of consideration for her conditions.” Counting the time she has already served, she will likely be released in late February or early March on three years’ probation, with a five-year travel ban
Saudi officials have long maintained that nothing can be done about the case of Loujain and other activists because they are on trial and the judiciary is independent, but two Saudi royal advisers told @WSJ that the reduced sentence against Loujain came at the direction of MBS
Biden’s incoming national security adviser Jake Sullivan said the court decision was “unjust and troubling”: https://twitter.com/jakejsullivan/status/1343610818814992386
Sentence was also widely criticised by Trump’s State Department, R and D Senators, EU countries and advocacy groups. Saudi Arabia today told UN Human Rights Commissioner that the kingdom rejects “any dictates to interfere in the judicial affairs in the country.”
Unclear what the sentence against Loujain means to other detained activists. In addition to her personal charisma, fact that she has 3 siblings abroad who campaigned on her behalf helped keep the spotlight on her case. Same thing cannot be said about many other activists
Reaction from pro-government pundits and ultranationalist trolls on social media generally muted but focused on two main points. 1) that the sentence proves that Loujain is a criminal and a traitor; and 2) that suspending half the sentence is a display of mercy by authorities
Both the public prosecution and Loujain plan to appeal the sentence. The prosecution will seek a harsher punishment, while her lawyer will ask the court to drop the conviction.
Read more in today’s dispatch of the @riyadhbureau newsletter: https://www.riyadhbureau.com/p/loujain-story
/END
Read more in today’s dispatch of the @riyadhbureau newsletter: https://www.riyadhbureau.com/p/loujain-story
/END
