Falling Afoul of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

"The condition of her coming out [of prison] is something I'm worried about."

"It's completely hypocritical. [bin Salman's] rationale has always been that he wants to be seen as the giver of social reforms and he doesn't want other people to be able to take credit or steal the limelight."

"Canada is not a big player when it comes to the Saudi economic trade relationship. The experience of 2018 taught us that our allies didn't have our back."

Bessma Momani, senior fellow, Centre for International Governance Innovation, political scientist, University of Waterloo

"Ms. [Hathloul] has courageously and selflessly dedicated her life to advocating for human rights and campaigning to advance women's rights in her home country of Saudi Arabia."

"She is an exemplar of UBC's commitment to  free speech, equality, empowerment and education and global citizenship and an unwavering champion of advancing a just and equitable society."

Santa Ono, president, University of British Columbia

"We understand that early release is possible and advocate for it."

"True to our democratic values and principles, Canada will always stand with human rights activists and defenders around the world."

Spokesperson, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Canada

 

"My sister is not a terrorist, she is an activist."

"To be sentenced for her activism for the very reforms that MbS [Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman] and the Saudi Kingdom so proudly tout is the ultimate hypocrisy."

Lina Hathloul

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  Loujain al-Hathloul, a Saudi women's rights activist has been sentenced to prison.

 

"Loujain al-Hathloul has already spent 900 days in detention, during which she endured torture, sexual harassment and other forms of ill-treatment, was held in solitary confinement and denied access to her family."

Heba Morayef, regional director, Middle East and North Africa, Amnesty International

When eventually 31-year-old Iranian social and equality-rights activist is released from the Saudi jail where she was imprisoned in 2018, accused and charged with "conspiring against the kingdom", and spying, she will tell all, whether, as charged, she was subjected to waterboarding, flogging and sexual assault, as Amnesty International claims. Not that there is much doubt that this hasn't happened to the young woman, a graduate of the University of British Columbia. She was arrested along with several other women activists on charges of conspiracy and spying.

When that news reached Canada, the then-minister of foreign affairs took to Twitter relaying a message of Canada's disapproval, demanding that the women be released forthwith. A crude gambit at the very least, an off-the-cuff comment of outrage, completely at variance with normal avenues of government-to-government diplomacy and discreet, non-public overtures from one government to another. A method by which matters can be settled and outcomes satisfactorily obtained.

Predictably Saudi Arabia lashed back at this sloppy criticism of an internal matter, irrespective of how outrageous the issue was and in the end, because Canada officially erred, relations between it and Saudi Arabia declined immediately, leaving Canada with no leverage at all to make diplomatic overtures on behalf of Ms.al-Hathloul's release. She has now been sentenced to six years in prison, the very place where she has suffered intolerable abuse of her human rights and dignity as a woman.

The Kingdom's Specialized Criminal Court sentenced the young woman to five years and eight months' incarceration. With credit for time served and a suspension of the final two years on appeal plus 10 months of the sentence it is possible she might be given a conditional release in March of 2021. At the time that Canada's minister of foreign affairs Chrystia Freeland tweeted her personal opinion of arresting women activists and human rights supporters, the kingdom reacted by expelling Canada's ambassador, suspending trade and investment and threatening to withdraw all Saudi nationals studying in Canada. 

 

And nothing whatever was accomplished to gain Ms. al-Hathloul's freedom. What's more, in recognition of Canada's bungling lapse in diplomacy none of its allies saw fit to express their support at the fix Canada found itself in, being punished for its very public interference in another country's affairs. Allies from the United States to France and Britain and Germany said nothing in Canada's defence. 

 

Canada had strayed so far out of the confines of diplomatic relations there was no defence that could be offered; it had effectively defused its potential effectiveness in discreetly discussing the matter, government-to-government, disqualifying itself by default from influencing the outcome of the young woman's untenable situation.

Loujain al-Hathloul graduated in 2014 from UBC with a Bachelor of Arts degree, rising to prominence when she publicly began campaigning for the right of women in Saudi Arabia to be autonomous-acting human beings, including the right to drive a car. When the sentence was announced, according to Ms.Hathloul's sister Lina, she broke down crying and intends to appeal. Both rights groups and her family speak of abuse including electric shocks, waterboarding flogging and sexual assault, all of which Saudi authorities deny.

Saudi newspapers reported that according to the judge Ms.Hathloul confessed to the crimes with no coercion taking place. On the other hand, last year Ms.Hathloul had refused to rescind her allegations of torture in exchange for an early release, according to her family, an allegation that a Saudi judge dismissed last week.

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  This Nov. 30, 2014 image made from video released by Loujain al-Hathloul, shows her driving towards the United Arab Emirates - Saudi Arabia border before her arrest on Dec. 1, 2014, in Saudi Arabia. (AP Photo/Loujain al-Hathloul, File)