A Saudi court changed Salma Al-Shehab’s prison sentence from 27 years to just four years with another four years suspended. This news came from several human rights groups like ALQST, MENA Rights Group, DAWN, and Freedom House. They all say they are happy to see the sentence reduced.
The human rights groups feel this is a good change even though Al-Shehab is still not completely free. They said the original 27-year sentence was wrong and this new decision is a move in the right direction. The groups did not say why the court changed its mind or how the suspended sentence works exactly.
These groups are watching Al-Shehab’s situation carefully. They think this change is progress, but it also shows there are still problems with human rights in Saudi Arabia. They want to know more about the suspended sentence and they want Al-Shehab to be fully free. They are also using this case to talk about the bigger fight for basic rights in the region.