Last Updated: Thursday, December 31, 2020 13:11
Global Affairs Canada is calling a sentence delivered to human rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul by a court in Saudi Arabia on Monday “deeply troubling.”
The five years and eight months sentence includes a two-year and 10-month suspension–in addition to time she has already served–opening the way for her to be released in March.
“We understand that early release is possible and advocate for it,” Global Affairs Canada said in a statement.
“True to our democratic values and principles, Canada will always stand with human-rights activists and defenders around the world.”
State-linked media announced the sentence, saying al-Hathloul, who gained international prominence in 2013 when she led a fight to allow women in Saudi Arabia to drive, was found guilty of a number charges.