Saudi Arabia confirms fitness influencer received 11-year sentence for ‘terror crimes’

JERUSALEM – JERUSALEM (AP) — Saudi Arabia confirmed in a letter to the United Nations that a popular online female fitness instructor received an 11-year prison sentence, but did not specify any of her alleged “terrorism crimes.”

Although the kingdom insisted the case had nothing to do with the instructor’s online presence, human rights activists say the sentence imposed on Manahel al-Otaibi shows the limits of expression in Saudi Arabia.

It also highlights another side of the kingdom, now ruled day-to-day by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who under his father, 88-year-old King Salman, has dramatically liberalized some aspects of women’s lives in the country.

“Her accusations related solely to her choice of clothing and expressing her opinions online, including calling on social media to end Saudi Arabia’s male guardianship system, publishing videos of herself wearing ‘indecent clothing.’ and ‘going to shops without wearing an abaya’,” said Amnesty International and ALQST, a London-based group that advocates for human rights in Saudi Arabia and which followed al-Otaibi’s case.

The human rights organization issued joint statements on Tuesday regarding al-Otaibi’s prison sentence, first revealed in a Saudi letter dated January 25 and sent to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

In its letter, Saudi Arabia’s permanent mission to the UN in Geneva did not outline any of the evidence that convicted al-Otaibi, while also stating that “baseless and uncorroborated claims and allegations” had been made about his case.

Al-Otaibi, who posted fitness videos on Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat, faced accusations of “defaming the kingdom at home and abroad, calling for rebellion against public order and society’s traditions and customs, and defying the judiciary and his justice,” according to court documents previously seen by the Associated Press.

Her posts have included advocating liberal dress codes for women, LGBTQ+ rights, and the abolition of male guardianship laws in Saudi Arabia. She was also accused of appearing in indecent clothing and posting Arabic hashtags that included the phrase “overthrow the government”.

Al-Otaibi has been detained since November 2022. Her sister Fouz faced similar charges but fled Saudi Arabia, according to ALQST.

The kingdom’s letter said the Saudi government “wishes to underline the fact that the exercise and defense of rights is not a crime under Saudi law; however, justifying the actions of terrorists by describing them as exercising or defending rights is unacceptable and constitutes an attempt to legitimize terrorist crimes.”

Since 2018, women have been allowed to drive and other restrictions have been lifted in the once ultra-conservative kingdom as it tries to rapidly diversify its oil-based economy. This came as Prince Mohammed solidified his power, in part through the arrest of members of the Saudi elite, as his father maintains formal control of the kingdom.

Several activists have been arrested for denouncing Saudi rules, or for following dissidents who do so, on social media. This includes Salma al-Shehab, a former PhD student at the University of Leeds who is currently serving a 27-year prison sentence.