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Mother sentenced to 100 lashes in Saudi Arabia for giving birth outside of marriage
The Independent • • world
Key Points:
- Esther Wanja Muthoni, a Kenyan domestic worker in Saudi Arabia, has been sentenced to 100 lashes for giving birth outside of marriage, a crime under Saudi law.
- Muthoni became pregnant during a brief relationship with an Egyptian man who has since left the country, and was detained after her condition was discovered in hospital.
- She has spent over a year trying to return to Kenya with her one-year-old son but has faced numerous obstacles, including being denied legal representation during her trial.
- Rights groups condemn the sentence as disproportionate and highlight the broader issue of abuse faced by migrant women workers in Saudi Arabia, criticizing the country's claim of advancing women's rights.
- Following media attention, Muthoni was provided housing but remains unable to leave Saudi Arabia while her case is ongoing; the government has not yet commented on the situation.
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