Leeds University student freed from Saudi jail having been handed 34-year sentence over tweets
The IndependentFor free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A Saudi PhD student at Leeds University who was given a 34-year jail sentence for posts on X has been freed, according to campaigners. Mother-of-two Salma al-Shehab was arrested in January 2021 just days before her planned return from holiday in Saudi Arabia, due to posts on the site, formerly known as Twitter, in support of women’s rights. Her release was announced on Monday by London-based Saudi rights group ALQST, after her sentence was dramatically reduced in September 2024 to four years in prison with an additional four years suspended. open image in gallery Ms Shehab is a women’s rights activist who was jailed for “destabilising the social fabric” Ms Shehab, a women’s rights activist and dental hygienist, had used her social media accounts to advocate for women’s rights in Saudi Arabia and imprisoned Saudi human rights activists, ALQST says on its website.
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