Riyadh Drops Death Penalty for Woman Activist after Facing Pressure
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Saudi Arabia is no longer seeking the death penalty against woman activist Israa al-Ghomgham, who has been in jail since December 2015, rights groups said.
Riyadh has faced increasing pressure over the detention of Ghomgham for her involvement in anti-government protests in the east of the kingdom.
"News that Saudi Arabia's authorities have dropped their outrageous call for Israa al-Ghomgham to be executed comes as a huge relief," said Amnesty International's Middle East campaign head Samah Hadid, AFP reported.
However, "she is still facing a ludicrous prison sentence simply for participating in peaceful demonstrations," she added.
There was no official Saudi comment on her case.
