what happened last week in Asia, Africa and the Americas

Hey, this is Sham Jaff, your very own news curator. Each week, I highlight some of the biggest stories from regions and countries that are historically underreported in "Western media". My goal is to burst our Western-centric bubbles, and expand the view we hold of the world. Questions, comments, concerns? You can reach me anytime by replying to this mail. And if this newsletter was forwarded to you, you can sign up at whathappenedlastweek.com.

In Issue #379, Saudi Arabia is the main character. The country is making headlines again for sentencing women's rights activists to ridiculously long years of prison for said activism.

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Saudi feminism, quo vadis? Another women's rights activist has been sentenced to prison

What happened
A Saudi female activist, Manahel al-Otaibi, got hit with an 11-year prison sentence by an anti-terrorism court. The charges? Apparently, the way she dressed and her activism for women's rights.

Why this matters
Saudi Arabia, not exactly renowned for its stellar women's rights record, is set to lead the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). Women’s rights advocates have been jailed and there are multiple allegations of their torture. Some say, it's like putting the fox in charge of the hen house. And the kicker? Al-Otaibi, who supported the Saudi crown prince's "modernization", ended up behind bars.

Tell me more
Al-Otaibi was accused of "terrorist offenses" under Saudi law, basically for using social media to speak out against male guardianship and promote women's rights. Al-Otaibi was sentenced in a secret hearing before a counter-terrorism court.

Tell me more about her
Beyond being an activist, Al-Otaibi was a fitness enthusiast, artist, and social media influencer. Her posts were all about empowerment and breaking stereotypes. Among other charges, Otaibi was accused by Saudi authorities of using a hashtag – translated to #societyisready – to call for an end to male guardianship rules. Rights groups are raising alarm bells about the treatment of al-Otaibi, alleging she faced severe abuse. Last year, she vanished against her will for a staggering five months, from November 2023 to April 2024. Upon reconnecting with her family, she revealed being kept in solitary confinement and suffering a broken leg due to physical mistreatment. Saudi officials, however, denied these allegations.

Good to know: Her sister, Fouz, managed to escape Saudi Arabia before they could nab her for not dressing "decently". And another sister, Maryam, faced trouble in 2017 for protesting those same guardianship rules.

The al-Otaibis are public enemy number one, huh
Well, no... this case follows a number of similar cases in which Saudi women, in particular, have been subjected to harsh sentences for using social media accounts to express themselves. They include women such as Salma al-Shehab, sentenced to 27 years, Fatima al-Shawarbi, sentenced to 30 years, Sukaynah al-Aithan, sentenced to 40 years, and Nourah al-Qahtani, sentenced to 45 years.

Is anti-feminism a Saudi thing?
Nope, this unfortunately is part of a broader trend where women's rights are taking a hit worldwide. From China to the US to Afghanistan, the situation isn't looking too rosy. Leaders are rolling back progress and pushing old-fashioned ideas about women's roles. For example, China has rolled back women’s rights, told women to "uphold family values" and cracked down on feminist campaigners. The US removed women’s constitutional right to an abortion. In Afghanistan, the Taliban has just announced that it will resume publicly stoning women to death. It had already restricted the access of women and girls to education, employment and public spaces. South Korea’s "anti-feminist" president has pledged to abolish its gender equality ministry after winning a 2022 election fuelled by a backlash to the #MeToo movement.

What now?
Amnesty International and other rights groups are calling for Al-Otaibi's release, arguing that her case exposes Saudi Arabia's reforms as just talk. They're urging authorities to uphold women's rights and freedom of expression. But in today's world, predicting outcomes is a tricky game.

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what happened last week - Saudi feminism, quo vadis?

what happened last week in Asia, Africa and the Americas

Saudi feminism, quo vadis? Another women's rights activist has been sentenced to prison

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