Saudi Seeks Death Penalty For Woman Activist; Tweeple Enraged

Israa al-Ghomgham could become the first woman activist to be beheaded in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia is seeking the death penalty for Israa al-Ghomgham, a woman activist who was reportedly arrested in 2015 for participating in and documenting Shia anti-government protests.

If convicted, al-Ghomgham could become the first woman activist to be beheaded in Saudi, according to CNN.

Saudi Arabia seeks its first death penalty against a female human rights activist https://t.co/19BhUzLBA2

— Guardian Law (@GdnLaw) August 22, 2018

Besides al-Ghomgham, four other women’s rights activists are also on trial in Saudi Arabia for charges including participating in protests, chanting slogans, attempting to inflame public opinion, filming protests, and providing moral support to rioters.

The news is especially unsettling in the context of the social reforms that have been initiated by Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman in recent months, including the historic lifting of the driving ban on women in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia, which just joined the UN women's rights commission thanks to the votes of Belgium, Sweden, Norway, Ireland & other EU states, seeks death penalty against women's rights activist. @UN_HRC chief Zeid: support our call to expel Saudi Arabia.https://t.co/3AZzx4cRk1

— UN Watch (@UNWatch) August 22, 2018

The country is also a member of the United Nations Women’s Rights Commission.

“A Brutal Violation of Human Rights”: Tweeple Express Rage

Many took to Twitter to express their rage as the news of Israa al-Ghomgham’s trial and the prosecution’s appeal for the death sentence spread online.

The #Saudi prosecution calls for the beheading of woman human rights defender Israa Al-Ghomgham for participating in peaceful protests - she has been imprisoned for 32 months without access to a lawyer https://t.co/lBepF6bK4z

— Maryam Alkhawaja (@MARYAMALKHAWAJA) August 19, 2018

The Saudi Govt’s ruling to behead a female activist is a brutal violation of human rights and must be overturned. It's appalling that they sit on the UN Women’s Rights Commission whilst suppressing the right to political activism with a death sentence. https://t.co/17FhprKpwH

— (((Dawn Butler MP))) (@DawnButlerBrent) August 22, 2018

She is a human rights activist.

She was involved in peaceful protests.

Saudi Arabia’s Public Prosecution is demanding that the state murder her for it.
https://t.co/eMgt7NkCsR pic.twitter.com/kTvPvqnxN1

— Andrew Stroehlein (@astroehlein) August 21, 2018

Why free speech is so important: Saudi Arabia plans to execute first female political activist https://t.co/hwaivME6jz What an archaic practice: killing people for what they say. A real unsafe space.

— Nicholas A. Christakis (@NAChristakis) August 22, 2018

Cancel all contracts with KSA and cut off diplomatic relations until Saudi Arabia treats women like human beings, particularly given the PM's mantra on gender equality. Talk is cheat. What is needed is action.

— Rocco Galati (@roccogalatilaw) August 22, 2018

Saudi Arabia is seeking the death penalty for five activists, including well-known female activist Israa al-Ghomgham. All of them are being tried in the country's "terrorism tribunal" for their peaceful activism https://t.co/vMo8RjX4OO. cc: @realDonaldTrump

— Jasmin Ramsey (@JasminRamsey) August 21, 2018

“Is This an Example of the Crown Prince’s Reforms?” Ask Tweeple

Netizens also pointed out the contradiction that characterises Saudi Arabia’s socio-political scene and policies at present.

Saudi Arabia: "We've made great progress when it comes to women's rights."
Also Saudi Arabia: "We're gonna behead this woman for daring to protest our mistreatment of women." https://t.co/rXxQBSvymx

— Mister Jacob (@TheWacoKid6) August 22, 2018

Disgusting and barbaric that #Saudi Arabia is seeking death penalty for female human rights activist #Issra al-Ghomgham. This is an example of the Crown Prince’s reforms???https://t.co/d2gzLRJyoD

— Medea Benjamin (@medeabenjamin) August 23, 2018

Women’s rights in Saudi Arabia under Mbs:

You can drive a car but if you oppose my government, I’ll cut your head off.#IsraaAlGhomgham #SaudiArabia

— Shaykh Azhar Nasser (@ShaykhAzhar) August 21, 2018

This, along with about a hundred other reasons, is why patting #SaudiArabia on the back for allowing women to drive is completely absurd: https://t.co/pEEZdNvK2H

— Becca Warner (@Bexisms) August 22, 2018

Saudi Arabia, which beheads more people than ISIS, is now calling for the beheading of peaceful, female human rights activist Israa Al-Ghomgham.

And yet the media narrative about Muhammad Bin Salman being such a “great reformer” still somehow persists. https://t.co/lvXGgS1DYx

— Sarah Abdallah (@sahouraxo) August 21, 2018

“I never thought I’d live long enough to write this sentence: The most significant reform process underway anywhere in the Middle East today is in Saudi Arabia” Thomas Friedman. #NeverForget https://t.co/sGvV94h3KH

— fatima bhutto (@fbhutto) August 22, 2018

Tweeple Cite Saudi’s Spat with Canada

A number of Twitter users also brought up the Canada-Saudi Arabia spat that happened earlier in August.

The spat was ignited when the Saudi government ordered the expulsion of Canada’s ambassador to the kingdom, and announced a halt to “all new business and investment transactions with Canada”.

This was in response to tweets from Canada’s foreign affairs minister, Chrystia Freeland, and her ministry’s Twitter account criticising the arrest of Saudi human rights activist Samar Badawi.

Remember three weeks ago when Saudi Arabia flipped out on Canada for criticizing their treatment of women human rights activists? pic.twitter.com/b4iJxuAgfa

— Ally Maynard (@missmayn) August 22, 2018

Saudi Arabia, which has been calling out Canada on its women's rights record, is poised to behead its first female activist https://t.co/ssQmss2HnG

— Marc-André Argentino (@4ngl3rf1sh) August 21, 2018

The #Saudi disgrace continues. Surreal that they are picking a fight with #Canada as they violate basic human rights and push their anti-western propaganda with the help of the @CPC_HQ and @Baird. I am proud of my government for standing against tyranny.https://t.co/EGXts6tP6u

— Bruce Crown (@brucecrown) August 22, 2018

A number of posts on Twitter also allege that Israa has already been beheaded. The news, however, is fake. The videos and screenshots that are being circulated on Twitter, showing a woman wearing a burkha, being publicly beheaded, is actually from 2015.