Saudi Arabia Releases Loujain al-Hathloul, Human Rights Activist After 3 Years In Jail

Saudi authorities on February 10 released prominent women's rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul after nearly three years in detention, her family said. The move comes as the kingdom comes under renewed US pressure over its human rights record. Hathloul, 31, was arrested in May 2018 with about a dozen other women activists just weeks before the historic lifting of a decades-long ban on female drivers. The activist is still under probation and is barred from leaving Saudi Arabia. US President Joe Biden, who has pledged to intensify scrutiny of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's human rights record, welcomed the decision to release her, saying it was "the right thing to do". US State Department said she should never have been jailed. The women's rights activist was convicted of inciting regime change & seeking to disrupt public order, in what her family denounced as a "sham" trial. Watch the video to know more.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 11, 2021 02:54 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).