Israa Al-Ghomgham Escapes Death Penalty amid Outrage

By Staff, Newsweek

Saudi authorities confirmed that its public prosecutor is no longer recommending the death penalty for female activist Israa al-Ghomgham.

The rights campaigner has been held since 2015 after participating in peaceful anti-government protests.

In further details, the Saudi embassy in London confirmed the shift in approach to Newsweek on Thursday in response to a request for information about al-Ghomgham’s case.

The 29-year-old was arrested in 2015 for her role in protests in the eastern region of Qatif.

Al-Ghomgham became well-known for demanding an end to persecution of the country's Shiite minority.

She was one of six people, including her husband, arrested in connection with the demonstrations.

Their alleged crimes included ‘traveling abroad to attend courses on organizing rallies and protests, using social media to promote and document events, and using Facebook groups to disseminate videos.’

Initially, the Saudi public prosecutor called for death sentences for five of the accused, including al-Ghomgham. This was seen by international observers as a striking recommendation given the nonviolent nature of their offenses.

Until Thursday, al-Ghomgham was believed to be the first woman facing beheading for nonviolent activism. As such, her case received significant international attention from media and human rights organizations.