Prominent Saudi Arabian women's rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul was released from prison after nearly three years behind bars, said her family on Wednesday. Hathloul was detained in May 2018. She was sentenced to six years in prison in December that year. UN rights experts had called charges against her "spurious". She still faces a five-year travel ban ordered by the court

"Loujain is at home !!!!!!" her sister Lina tweeted.

Another sister, Alia, said Hathloul was at their parents' home in Saudi Arabia. She posted a picture of Hathloul smiling in a garden, looking much thinner and with grey streaks in her hair.

Hathloul had campaigned for women's right to drive and to end Saudi's male guardianship system. Rights groups and her family say that she was subjected to abuse, including electric shocks, waterboarding, flogging and sexual assault. Saudi authorities have denied the allegations. A court dismissed claims of torture saying evidence was lacking.

On Wednesday, Amnesty International said that Saudi Arabia should bring to justice "those responsible for her torture". It has also urged the authorities to ensure that no punitive measures like travel ban against Hathloul.

Saudi officials have not commented on her conviction or sentencing. There was no immediate comment on her release.

US President Joe Biden welcomed Loujain al-Hathloul's release from prison.

"Releasing her was the right thing to do," Biden said of Hathloul.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the development as well.

"But I think it is important that others who are in the same condition as her, who have been jailed for the same reasons as her, also be released and that charges be dropped against them," said Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.

Hathloul, detained along with several other women's rights activists, was convicted on charges including seeking to change the Saudi political system and harming national unity.

Saudi Arabia's rights record came under global scrutiny after the 2018 murder of prominent Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents, which tarnished Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's image. The prince denied ordering the killing.

Agnes Callamard, the independent U.N. rights investigator who led an international probe into Khashoggi's murder, welcomed Hathloul's release but said in a Twitter post that "the cruelty" of Saudi rulers that "violated her most basic right to physical and mental integrity" should not be forgotten.

(With Reuters inputs)

Prominent Saudi Arabian women's rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul was released from prison after nearly three years behind bars, said her family on Wednesday. Hathloul was detained in May 2018.

Prominent Saudi Arabian women's rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul was released from prison after nearly three years behind bars, said her family on Wednesday. Hathloul was detained in May 2018. She was sentenced to six years in prison in December that year. UN rights experts had called charges against her "spurious". She still faces a five-year travel ban ordered by the court "Loujain is at home !!!!!!" her sister Lina tweeted. Another sister, Alia, said Hathloul was at their parents' home in Saudi Arabia. She posted a picture of Hathloul smiling in a garden, looking much thinner and with grey streaks in her hair. Hathloul had campaigned for women's right to drive and to end Saudi's male guardianship system. Rights groups and her family say that she was subjected to abuse, including electric shocks, waterboarding, flogging and sexual assault. Saudi authorities have denied the allegations. A court dismissed claims of torture saying evidence was lacking. On Wednesday, Amnesty International said that Saudi Arabia should bring to justice "those responsible for her torture". It has also urged the authorities to ensure that no punitive measures like travel ban against Hathloul. Saudi officials have not commented on her conviction or sentencing. There was no immediate comment on her release. US President Joe Biden welcomed Loujain al-Hathloul's release from prison. "Releasing her was the right thing to do," Biden said of Hathloul. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the development as well. "But I think it is important that others who are in the same condition as her, who have been jailed for the same reasons as her, also be released and that charges be dropped against them," said Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric. Hathloul, detained along with several other women's rights activists, was convicted on charges including seeking to change the Saudi political system and harming national unity. Saudi Arabia's rights record came under global scrutiny after the 2018 murder of prominent Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents, which tarnished Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's image. The prince denied ordering the killing. Agnes Callamard, the independent U.N. rights investigator who led an international probe into Khashoggi's murder, welcomed Hathloul's release but said in a Twitter post that "the cruelty" of Saudi rulers that "violated her most basic right to physical and mental integrity" should not be forgotten. (With Reuters inputs)

Saudi Arabian women's rights activist Hathloul freed from jail: Family

Two sisters from Saudi Arabia who fled the conservative kingdom and have been hiding out in Hong Kong for nearly six months said they did so to escape beatings at the hands of their brothers and father.

The pair, who say they have renounced their Muslim faith, arrived in the Chinese territory from Sri Lanka in September. They say they were prevented from boarding a connecting flight to Australia and were intercepted at the airport by diplomats from Saudi Arabia.

Reuters could not independently verify their story.

Asked about the case, Hong Kong police said they had received a report from "two expatriate women" in September and were investigating, but did not elaborate.

The Saudi consulate in Hong Kong has not responded to repeated requests from Reuters for comment.

The case is the second high-profile example this year of Saudi women seeking to escape their country and spotlights the kingdom's strict social rules, including a requirement that females seek permission from a male "guardian" to travel.

The sisters, aged 18 and 20, managed to leave Hong Kong airport but consular officials have since revoked their passports, leaving them stranded in the city for nearly six months, their lawyer, Michael Vidler, said.

Vidler, one of the leading activist lawyers in the territory, also confirmed the authenticity of a Twitter account written by the two women describing their plight.

On Saturday, dressed in jeans and wearing sneakers, the softly spoken women described what they said was a repressive and unhappy life at their home in the Saudi capital Riyadh. They said they had adopted the aliases Reem and Rawan, because they fear using their real names could lead to their being traced if granted asylum in a third country.

They posed for pictures but asked their features not be revealed.

Every decision had to be approved by the men in their house, from the clothes they wore to the hairstyle they chose - even the times when they woke and went to sleep, the sisters told Reuters.

"They were like my jailer, like my prison officer. I was like a prisoner," said the younger sister, Rawan, referring to two brothers aged 24 and 25 as well as her father.

"It was basically modern day slavery. You can't go out of the house unless someone is with us. Sometimes we will stay for months without even seeing the sun," the elder sister, Reem, said.

In January, a Saudi woman made global headlines by barricading herself in a Bangkok airport hotel to avoid being sent home to her family. She was later granted asylum in Canada.

'Brother brainwashed'

Reem and Rawan said their 10-year-old brother was also encouraged to beat them.

"They brainwashed him," Rawan said, referring to her older brothers. Although he was only a child, she said she feared her younger brother would become like her older siblings.

The family includes two other sisters, aged five and 12. Reem said she and her sister feel terrible about leaving them, although they "hope their family will get a lesson from this and it might help to change their lives for the better."

Reem and Rawan decided to escape while on a family holiday in Sri Lanka in September. They had secretly saved around $5,000 since 2016, some of it accumulated by scrimping on items they were given money to buy.

The timing of their escape was carefully planned to coincide with Rawan's 18th birthday so she could apply for a visitor's visa to Australia without her parents' approval.

But what was supposed to be a two-hour stopover in Hong Kong has turned into nearly six months and the sisters are now living in fear that they will be forcibly returned to Saudi Arabia.

They have said they have renounced Islam - a crime punishable by death under the Saudi system of sharia, or Islamic law, although the punishment has not been carried out in recent memory.

The pair say they have changed locations 13 times in Hong Kong, living in hotels, shelters and with individuals who are helping, sometimes staying just one night in a place before moving on to ensure their safety.

Vidler said the Hong Kong Immigration Department told the women their Saudi passports had been invalidated and they could only stay in the city until February 28.

The department has said it does not comment on individual cases.

The sisters have applied for asylum in a third country which they declined to name in a bid keep the information from Saudi authorities and their family.

"We believe that we have the right to live like any other human being," said Reem, who said she studied English literature in Riyadh and dreams of becoming a writer one day.

Asked what would happen on Feb 28, after which they can no longer legally stay in Hong Kong, the sisters said they had no idea.

"I hope this doesn't last any longer," Rawan said.

Two sisters from Saudi Arabia who fled the conservative kingdom and have been hiding out in Hong Kong for nearly six months said they did so to escape beatings at the hands of their brothers and father.

Two sisters from Saudi Arabia who fled the conservative kingdom and have been hiding out in Hong Kong for nearly six months said they did so to escape beatings at the hands of their brothers and father. The pair, who say they have renounced their Muslim faith, arrived in the Chinese territory from Sri Lanka in September. They say they were prevented from boarding a connecting flight to Australia and were intercepted at the airport by diplomats from Saudi Arabia. Reuters could not independently verify their story. Asked about the case, Hong Kong police said they had received a report from "two expatriate women" in September and were investigating, but did not elaborate. The Saudi consulate in Hong Kong has not responded to repeated requests from Reuters for comment. The case is the second high-profile example this year of Saudi women seeking to escape their country and spotlights the kingdom's strict social rules, including a requirement that females seek permission from a male "guardian" to travel. The sisters, aged 18 and 20, managed to leave Hong Kong airport but consular officials have since revoked their passports, leaving them stranded in the city for nearly six months, their lawyer, Michael Vidler, said. Vidler, one of the leading activist lawyers in the territory, also confirmed the authenticity of a Twitter account written by the two women describing their plight. On Saturday, dressed in jeans and wearing sneakers, the softly spoken women described what they said was a repressive and unhappy life at their home in the Saudi capital Riyadh. They said they had adopted the aliases Reem and Rawan, because they fear using their real names could lead to their being traced if granted asylum in a third country. They posed for pictures but asked their features not be revealed. Every decision had to be approved by the men in their house, from the clothes they wore to the hairstyle they chose - even the times when they woke and went to sleep, the sisters told Reuters. "They were like my jailer, like my prison officer. I was like a prisoner," said the younger sister, Rawan, referring to two brothers aged 24 and 25 as well as her father. "It was basically modern day slavery. You can't go out of the house unless someone is with us. Sometimes we will stay for months without even seeing the sun," the elder sister, Reem, said. In January, a Saudi woman made global headlines by barricading herself in a Bangkok airport hotel to avoid being sent home to her family. She was later granted asylum in Canada. 'Brother brainwashed' Reem and Rawan said their 10-year-old brother was also encouraged to beat them. "They brainwashed him," Rawan said, referring to her older brothers. Although he was only a child, she said she feared her younger brother would become like her older siblings. The family includes two other sisters, aged five and 12. Reem said she and her sister feel terrible about leaving them, although they "hope their family will get a lesson from this and it might help to change their lives for the better." Reem and Rawan decided to escape while on a family holiday in Sri Lanka in September. They had secretly saved around $5,000 since 2016, some of it accumulated by scrimping on items they were given money to buy. The timing of their escape was carefully planned to coincide with Rawan's 18th birthday so she could apply for a visitor's visa to Australia without her parents' approval. But what was supposed to be a two-hour stopover in Hong Kong has turned into nearly six months and the sisters are now living in fear that they will be forcibly returned to Saudi Arabia. They have said they have renounced Islam - a crime punishable by death under the Saudi system of sharia, or Islamic law, although the punishment has not been carried out in recent memory. The pair say they have changed locations 13 times in Hong Kong, living in hotels, shelters and with individuals who are helping, sometimes staying just one night in a place before moving on to ensure their safety. Vidler said the Hong Kong Immigration Department told the women their Saudi passports had been invalidated and they could only stay in the city until February 28. The department has said it does not comment on individual cases. The sisters have applied for asylum in a third country which they declined to name in a bid keep the information from Saudi authorities and their family. "We believe that we have the right to live like any other human being," said Reem, who said she studied English literature in Riyadh and dreams of becoming a writer one day. Asked what would happen on Feb 28, after which they can no longer legally stay in Hong Kong, the sisters said they had no idea. "I hope this doesn't last any longer," Rawan said.

'I was like a prisoner': Saudi sisters trapped in Hong Kong recall beatings

Saudi courts will notify women by text message when they get divorced, in a new regulation that took effect on Sunday, officials said.

The measure approved by the justice ministry appears aimed at curbing seemingly rampant cases of men secretly ending marriages without informing their wives.

“Women ... will be notified of any changes to their marital status via text message,” the justice ministry said in a statement carried by state-run Al-Ekhbariya news channel and other local media.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/opinions/are-saudi-arabia-and-crown-prince-becoming-a-liability-for-the-white-house-185302">Are Saudi Arabia and Crown Prince becoming a liability for the White House?</a>

“Women in the kingdom will be able to view documents related to the termination of their marriage contracts through the ministry’s website.”

The move comes as <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/mohammed-bin-salman-reformist-prince-who-has-shaken-saudi-arabia-184964">Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman</a>, the de facto ruler spearheads a liberalisation drive in the conservative kingdom, which has some of the world’s toughest restrictions on women.

In June last year, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabia-gears-up-to-end-women-driving-ban-146279">women celebrated taking the wheel for the first time</a> in decades as the kingdom overturned the world’s only ban on female motorists.

The kingdom has also allowed women to enter sports stadiums, previously a male-only arena, and is pushing for greater participation of women in the workforce as it seeks to diversify its oil-dependent economy. But in tandem with the reforms, the kingdom has seen a wave of arrests of women activists in recent months as it steps up a crackdown on dissent. 
&nbsp;

Saudi courts will notify women by text message when they get divorced, in a new regulation that took effect on Sunday, officials said. The measure approved by the justice ministry appears aimed at curbing seemingly rampant cases of men secretly ending marriages without informing their wives.

Saudi courts will notify women by text message when they get divorced, in a new regulation that took effect on Sunday, officials said. The measure approved by the justice ministry appears aimed at curbing seemingly rampant cases of men secretly ending marriages without informing their wives. “Women ... will be notified of any changes to their marital status via text message,” the justice ministry said in a statement carried by state-run Al-Ekhbariya news channel and other local media. Also read: Are Saudi Arabia and Crown Prince becoming a liability for the White House? “Women in the kingdom will be able to view documents related to the termination of their marriage contracts through the ministry’s website.” The move comes as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto ruler spearheads a liberalisation drive in the conservative kingdom, which has some of the world’s toughest restrictions on women. In June last year, women celebrated taking the wheel for the first time in decades as the kingdom overturned the world’s only ban on female motorists. The kingdom has also allowed women to enter sports stadiums, previously a male-only arena, and is pushing for greater participation of women in the workforce as it seeks to diversify its oil-dependent economy. But in tandem with the reforms, the kingdom has seen a wave of arrests of women activists in recent months as it steps up a crackdown on dissent.

Saudi Arabia to notify women about divorce via SMS

A Saudi woman held at Bangkok airport said she would be killed if she was repatriated by Thai immigration officials, who confirmed the 18-year-old was denied entry to the country on Sunday.

The incident comes against the backdrop of intense scrutiny of Saudi Arabia over its investigation and handling of the shocking murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi last year, which has renewed criticism of the kingdom's rights record.

Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun told AFP she was stopped by Saudi and Kuwaiti officials when she arrived in Suvarnabhumi airport and her travel document was forcibly taken from her, a claim backed by Human Rights Watch.

"They took my passport," she told AFP, adding that her male guardian had reported her for travelling "without his permission".

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Kuwait airlines and Saudi embassy work together!! They took my passport
— Rahaf Mohammed (@rahaf84427714) <a href="https://twitter.com/rahaf84427714/status/1082081214742224896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2019</a></blockquote>
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They are liars!!!!! <a href="https://t.co/I9zgoQVRBz">https://t.co/I9zgoQVRBz</a>
— Rahaf Mohammed (@rahaf84427714) <a href="https://twitter.com/rahaf84427714/status/1082080876823928832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2019</a></blockquote>
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I’m calling for all people inside the transit area in Bangkok to protest against deporting me to Kuwait 
Please I need u all 
I’m shouting out for help of humanity
— Rahaf Mohammed (@rahaf84427714) <a href="https://twitter.com/rahaf84427714/status/1082097331279970304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Qunun said she was trying to flee her family, who subjected her to physical and psychological abuse.&nbsp;

"My family is strict and locked me in a room for six months just for cutting my hair," she said, adding that she is certain she will be imprisoned if she is sent back.&nbsp;

"I'm sure 100 per cent they will kill me as soon as I get out of the Saudi jail," she said, adding that she was "scared" and "losing hope".

Qunun was stopped from entering Thailand when she flew in from Kuwait on Sunday, Thailand's immigration chief Surachate Hakparn told AFP.

"She had no further documents such as return ticket or money," he said, adding that Rahaf was currently in an airport hotel.

"She ran away from her family to avoid marriage and she is concerned she may be in trouble returning to Saudi Arabia. We sent officials to take care of her now," he said.&nbsp;

He added that Thai authorities had contacted the "Saudi Arabia embassy to coordinate".&nbsp;

'Can't escape'&nbsp;

But Qunun disputed his account, saying that she was only in transit to seek asylum in Australia, and was accosted by Saudi and Kuwaiti embassy representatives when she arrived at Suvarnabhumi airport.&nbsp;

She took to Twitter to plead her case, creating a profile with an Arabic bio that reads "I just want to survive".

During a video livestream showing her walking around a carpeted hallway, Qunun spoke in Arabic about how her father had told Saudi embassy officials she was a "psychiatric patient" who had to be returned, even though she had "an Australian visa".

"I can't escape the airport," she said in the live video. "I tried but there's a security (official) watching me."

In a sign of growing desperation over the last few hours, the woman live tweeted barricading her hotel room door with furniture.

Immigration head Surachate said Qunun would be sent back to Saudi Arabia by Monday morning.&nbsp;

"It's a family problem," he said of the case.&nbsp;

But Human Rights Watch said Thai authorities must allow the teenager to make a refugee claim with UNHCR, the United Nations refugee agency.&nbsp;

"Saudi women fleeing their families can face severe violence from relatives, deprivation of liberty, and other serious harm if returned against their will," said &nbsp;Michael Page, HRW deputy Middle East director.&nbsp;

"Thai authorities should immediately halt any deportation, and either allow her to continue her travel to Australia or permit her to remain in Thailand to seek protection as a refugee."

'Family problem'

Abdulilah al-Shouaibi, charge d'affaires at the Saudi embassy in Bangkok, acknowledged the woman's father had contacted the diplomatic mission for "help" to bring her back.

But in an interview with Saudi-owned channel Rotana Khalijial, he denied that her passport had been seized and that embassy officials were present inside the airport.

Saudi Arabia has come under fierce criticism following the murder of dissident journalist Khashoggi inside the kingdom's Istanbul consulate on October 2 -- a case that stunned the world.

The ultra-conservative kingdom has long been attacked for imposing some of the world's toughest restrictions on women.

That includes a guardianship system that allows men to exercise arbitrary authority to make decisions on behalf of their female relatives.

In addition to facing punishment for "moral" crimes, women can also become the target of "honour killings" at the hands of their families, activists say.&nbsp;

A Saudi woman held at Bangkok airport said she would be killed if she was repatriated by Thai immigration officials, who confirmed the 18-year-old was denied entry to the country on Sunday.

A Saudi woman held at Bangkok airport said she would be killed if she was repatriated by Thai immigration officials, who confirmed the 18-year-old was denied entry to the country on Sunday. The incident comes against the backdrop of intense scrutiny of Saudi Arabia over its investigation and handling of the shocking murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi last year, which has renewed criticism of the kingdom's rights record. Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun told AFP she was stopped by Saudi and Kuwaiti officials when she arrived in Suvarnabhumi airport and her travel document was forcibly taken from her, a claim backed by Human Rights Watch. "They took my passport," she told AFP, adding that her male guardian had reported her for travelling "without his permission". Kuwait airlines and Saudi embassy work together!! They took my passport — Rahaf Mohammed (@rahaf84427714) January 7, 2019 × They are liars!!!!! https://t.co/I9zgoQVRBz — Rahaf Mohammed (@rahaf84427714) January 7, 2019 × I’m calling for all people inside the transit area in Bangkok to protest against deporting me to Kuwait Please I need u all I’m shouting out for help of humanity — Rahaf Mohammed (@rahaf84427714) January 7, 2019 × Qunun said she was trying to flee her family, who subjected her to physical and psychological abuse. "My family is strict and locked me in a room for six months just for cutting my hair," she said, adding that she is certain she will be imprisoned if she is sent back. "I'm sure 100 per cent they will kill me as soon as I get out of the Saudi jail," she said, adding that she was "scared" and "losing hope". Qunun was stopped from entering Thailand when she flew in from Kuwait on Sunday, Thailand's immigration chief Surachate Hakparn told AFP. "She had no further documents such as return ticket or money," he said, adding that Rahaf was currently in an airport hotel. "She ran away from her family to avoid marriage and she is concerned she may be in trouble returning to Saudi Arabia. We sent officials to take care of her now," he said. He added that Thai authorities had contacted the "Saudi Arabia embassy to coordinate". 'Can't escape' But Qunun disputed his account, saying that she was only in transit to seek asylum in Australia, and was accosted by Saudi and Kuwaiti embassy representatives when she arrived at Suvarnabhumi airport. She took to Twitter to plead her case, creating a profile with an Arabic bio that reads "I just want to survive". During a video livestream showing her walking around a carpeted hallway, Qunun spoke in Arabic about how her father had told Saudi embassy officials she was a "psychiatric patient" who had to be returned, even though she had "an Australian visa". "I can't escape the airport," she said in the live video. "I tried but there's a security (official) watching me." In a sign of growing desperation over the last few hours, the woman live tweeted barricading her hotel room door with furniture. Immigration head Surachate said Qunun would be sent back to Saudi Arabia by Monday morning. "It's a family problem," he said of the case. But Human Rights Watch said Thai authorities must allow the teenager to make a refugee claim with UNHCR, the United Nations refugee agency. "Saudi women fleeing their families can face severe violence from relatives, deprivation of liberty, and other serious harm if returned against their will," said Michael Page, HRW deputy Middle East director. "Thai authorities should immediately halt any deportation, and either allow her to continue her travel to Australia or permit her to remain in Thailand to seek protection as a refugee." 'Family problem' Abdulilah al-Shouaibi, charge d'affaires at the Saudi embassy in Bangkok, acknowledged the woman's father had contacted the diplomatic mission for "help" to bring her back. But in an interview with Saudi-owned channel Rotana Khalijial, he denied that her passport had been seized and that embassy officials were present inside the airport. Saudi Arabia has come under fierce criticism following the murder of dissident journalist Khashoggi inside the kingdom's Istanbul consulate on October 2 -- a case that stunned the world. The ultra-conservative kingdom has long been attacked for imposing some of the world's toughest restrictions on women. That includes a guardianship system that allows men to exercise arbitrary authority to make decisions on behalf of their female relatives. In addition to facing punishment for "moral" crimes, women can also become the target of "honour killings" at the hands of their families, activists say.

Saudi woman held at Bangkok airport fears she will be killed if repatriated