News Center- Manahel al-Otaibi, a women’s rights activist in Saudi Arabia, has been sentenced to 11 years in prison by an anti-terrorism court for “her choice of clothing and support for women’s rights”.

Saudi officials confirmed in a statement to the United Nations high commissioner for human rights that Manahel al-Otaibi was sentenced on January 9 for “terrorist offences”. Manahel al-Otaibi was found guilty of charges related to a Saudi anti-terror law that criminalizes the use of websites to “broadcasts or publish news, statements, false or malicious rumors, or the like for committing a terrorist crime”.

Amnesty International: Saudi Arabia’s authorities must immediately release her

Amnesty International released a statement on Tuesday calling on Saudi Arabia’s authorities to “immediately and unconditionally release Manahel al-Otaibi”. “The decision directly contradicts the authorities’ narrative of reform and women’s empowerment,” the statement said.

She arrested in 2022

Manahel Al-Otaibi, a fitness instructor and women’s rights activist promoting female empowerment on her social media accounts, was arrested in November 2022. Her sister, Fouz al-Otaibi was also accused of not wearing decent clothing but was able to flee Saudi Arabia before her arrest.

Another sister, Maryam was detained, held in prison and then released in 2017 for protesting guardianship rules.