In parallel with the official promises of women's rights in Saudi Arabia and the declaration of 2017 as the "Empowerment of Saudi Women" year, violations against human rights defenders, including Mariam Al-Otaibi, took an escalating trend.
Al-Otaibi (born on December 19, 1987) is a prominent women's rights activist who participated in the campaign to abolish the guardianship system and sought protection from domestic violence.
In April 2016, Mariam was first arrested at a girls' care center with no charges filed against her. Later, in 2017, the government arrested her for her human rights activities, and pressure was exerted to convert the case into charges related to leaving home without permission and disobeying parents under the guardianship system. She remained in prison for 100 days before being released in August 2017 due to insufficient evidence.
Despite her release, Al-Otaibi faced multiple violations, including being prevented from traveling without a judicial order and an explanation of the reasons. In addition to the travel ban, she experienced harassment, including unofficial pressure to prevent her from obtaining employment and a source of income.
Al-Otaibi filed several complaints with official authorities, including the Royal Court, the Grievances Board, the Human Rights Commission, the Crown Prince's office, and the Riyadh Region Emirate. These complaints highlighted the ill-treatment she experienced and the travel ban. However, none of the complaints received a response, and she faced harassment in official centers. This led her to share a video on her Twitter account in February 2022.
Against the backdrop of her filing complaints and publicizing the violations she faces, the Riyadh Criminal Court sentenced her in June 2022 to four months in prison with a suspended sentence, a financial fine, and confiscation of her mobile device. In addition to the verdict, information indicated that the threats against her prevented her from disclosing further violations she experienced.
The European Saudi Organization for Human Rights believes that the violations suffered by Mariam Al-Otaibi since 2016, continuing to the present day, reflect the true face of the Saudi government's treatment of women's rights and debunk the claims of women's empowerment. The organization points out that the travel ban on Mariam, the arrest of her sister Manahil, and the intimidation that led her other sister, Fawz, to leave the country confirm that the official promotion of reforms is an attempt to whitewash human rights violations in general.
ESOHR also considers Mariam's punishment after filing complaints, instead of investigating the information she provided and holding those responsible for her mistreatment accountable, as evidence of a lack of trust in official institutions, preventing women in general from benefiting from established systems, notably the domestic violence protection system.
ESOHR emphasizes that Saudi Arabia's policy of travel bans against activists is another form of restricting freedom due to the exercise of legitimate rights, within the escalating approach of intimidation and harassment.