Imagine being punished just for saying what you believe is right. This is what happened to a young woman named Manahel al-Otaibi. Manahel is 30 years old and lives in Saudi Arabia. She is a fitness instructor and cares deeply about women’s rights.
She posted on X, (formerly known as Twitter) about women’s freedom and shared photos of herself at the mall without wearing a traditional robe called an abaya. For this, she was arrested and put in jail.
Manahel’s trial wasn’t fair. She was sentenced to 11 years in prison for “terrorist offences,” but all she did was speak out for women. In prison, she has been treated terribly.
She was beaten by both prisoners and guards and kept alone for a long time. No one deserves to be treated like this for simply using their voice.
Manahel’s two sisters also support women’s rights and have been threatened or punished. This shows how dangerous it is to stand up for yourself and others in their country.
Even more women, like a student named Salma al-Shehab, have been put in prison for speaking their minds.
Wondering how you can help Manahel?
Write to the Minister of Justice in Saudia Arabia asking him to:
- Let Manahel al-Otaibi go free, because she was only speaking her mind and didn’t do anything wrong.
- Make sure Manahel gets the medical care she needs while she is still in prison.
- Look into how she has been treated in prison to make sure she hasn’t been hurt or mistreated.
If you are not sure how to write your letter, you can use this example as your guide:
Your name
City, Country
Date
His Excellency Walid bin Mohammed Al-Samaani
Minister of Justice
Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Your Excellency,
I am writing to you about Manahel al-Otaibi, a 30-year-old woman who was put in prison for speaking out for women’s rights. She has been sentenced to 11 years in prison, even though she was only sharing her thoughts online. This seems very unfair.
I have heard that Manahel has been treated very badly in prison, including being beaten and kept alone. I believe no one should be punished like this for simply talking about their beliefs.
Please release Manahel al-Otaibi and let her go back home to her family. Everyone deserves to be treated fairly, and I hope you will show that Saudi Arabia values human rights and justice.
Sincerely,
Your name
When you finish your letter, you can mail it to the following address:
Waleed Mohammed Al Smani
Minister of Justice
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Postal Code 11472, P.O. Box 7775
Email: minister-office@moj.gov.sa
We encourage you to send a copy of this letter to the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia in Ottawa. Here is her address:
Her Excellency Amal Yahya ALMOALIMI
Ambassador
Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia
201 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, ON K1N 1K6
Email: caemb@mofa.gov.sa
What else can you do:
Did you know you can help even more? Download a PDF of Manahel’s story and share it with your friends and family so more people can write letters asking for her release.
Also, let them know that they too can receive The Lifesaver. All they have to do is send an email to urgentaction@amnesty.ca.
Watch this video to understand why writing a letter for Manahel can make a difference and show that no one should be punished for speaking up for what’s right.
