Timeline of Loujain’s Arrest

15 May 2018

State Security forces raided Alhathloul’s house in Riyadh where she lived with her then-husband Fahad al-Butairi. After arresting her, they sent her to the General Investigation Directorate Prison in al-Haer in Riyadh and detained her there for several hours. Police then transferred her to the General Investigation Directorate Prison in Dhahban in Jeddah

At the time of the arrest, officials failed to show a warrant or other order issued by a lawful authority that would authorize her arrest. The arresting officers also neglected to provide verbal confirmation of any laws that she might have allegedly violated that would justify her detention.

18 May 2018

Although no official charges were provided to Loujain, Saudi newspapers started a defamation campaign. @Saudinws50, a Twitter account aligned to the government, tweeted on 18 May 2018, the below image, showing red stamps over women’s activists’ pictures, including Loujain AlHathloul, reading “traitor.”

21 May 2018

Deportation from Dhahban prison to a secret prison – Loujain was interrogated under torture until July 2018.

19 June 2018

Loujain’s first phone call to the family. First contact with Loujain after her arrest on 15 May 2018. Loujain said during the call that she had been taken to Jeddah.

4 July 2018

Return to Dhahban Prison from secret prison. Put in solitary confinement. 

Mid-August 2018

The first time family was allowed to visit Loujain. Monthly visits occurred until March 2019.

14 September 2018

Loujain was moved out of solitary confinement to General Population.

26 November 2018

The Saudi Human Rights Commission visited Loujain. Loujain told them about the torture. They noticed it as well. However, they decided to deny it publicly.

14 December 2018

Loujain was moved from Dhaban prison (Jeddah) to AlHaier prison (Riyadh).

12 March 2019

A call from the State Security at 02:47 pm to notify the family of the trial of Loujain in the specialised court (terrorism court).

12 March 2019 : A call from the State Security at 11:33 pm to notify the family that the trial of Loujain will be in the criminal court.

13 March 2019

First Trial Session. Loujain finds out about her charges after being arbitrarily detained for 10 months.

28 March 2019

Meeting with the judge regarding Loujain’s request for a temporary release. It was not accepted. Other women were released in the meantime. 

Loujain has not had any court session since March 2019 until February 2020. During that time she has been held in solitary confinement.

August 2019

Loujain refuses to sign on a statement drafted by the Saudi authorities in which she would deny all the torture she has endured. They promised to release her if she accepted this offer. Loujain refused.

December 2019

Loujain needs a medical visit. However, they would not let her communicate with the doctor in any language other than Arabic. The doctor they chose only spoke English. Loujain therefore could not explain to him any of her medical conditions. 

February 2020

Loujain leaves solitary confinement and is informed the trial will be restarting (Postponed since April 2019).

12 February 2020

First Trial session since April 2019. The session is exactly like the first one of March 2019: They inform Loujain of her charges, once again.

All other court sessions have been delayed - ongoing as of Oct 2020.

23 March 2020

The last family monthly visit (visits were more or less on a regular basis) that Loujain’s family was allowed to have.

19 April 2020

Short phone call from Loujain.

19 April 2020 - 31 August 2020

No news from Loujain during this period. No calls or visits were allowed. Loujain disappeared from 19 April 2020 to 31 August 2020.

31 August 2020

Family visit to Loujain. Loujain informs them she went on a hunger strike for 6 days to be allowed to have this visit.

9 September 2020

Last visit from the family. No news of Loujain since. 

26 October 2020

Launch of the official website by family and supporters of Loujain AlHathloul. Loujain has not been seen or heard for 6.5 weeks.

26 October 2020

On Monday 26 October, Loujain’s parents visited her. She announced to them that she will start a hunger strike starting that evening to protest against the conditions of her detention (mainly not being allowed to have regular calls).

24 November 2020

Saudi officials notified the family that her trial would commence tomorrow (25 Nov 2020). Loujain’s parents are her legal representatives for the case, they had one day to prepare for the trial.

25 November 2020

Loujain’s case was transferred to the specialised criminal court and the court has said it will open an investigation with the prosecution regarding torture. Loujain gave more information regarding her hunger strike (see below)

9 December 2020

Saudi officials notified the family in the evening (with less than 24 hours notice) that Loujain’s first trial session at the Specialised Criminal Court would be held the following day 10 Dec

10 December 2020

1st Trial Session @ SCC - The prosecution called for a maximum sentence for Loujain and changed the charges without permission or notification. All charges and changes can be seen here. Loujain looked very weak and frail in court. The next trial session was noted for 14 Dec 2020.

14 December 2020

2nd Trial Session @ SCC - Loujain appeared for her second trial appearance at the Specialised Criminal Court. Loujain handed in her defense and was given the evidence against her by the prosecution which include: 

• Tweets about her involvement in the #Women2Drive campaign

• Contacting Amnesty International to speak about the situation of activists in Saudi Arabia

• Audio recordings of Loujain speaking about the male guardianship system. 

16 December 2020

3rd Trial Session @ SCC - The judge said that he will compare Loujain’s defense and the prosecutor’s response. This is the first time the judge said this comparison will be done. During the hearing, the judge fixed Monday 21 Dec 2020 as the next trial session. However, Loujain’s family received a text message later that day informing them that they have a trial session at the normal criminal court the day after, on the 17 Dec 2020 without any further explanation.

17 December 2020

Criminal Court Hearing - During today’s hearing, Loujain and her father were briefed on a secret report on the torture of Loujain. In their summary the Public Prosecution denied the torture charges brought by Loujain, and said that prison cameras do not store photos for more than 40 days.

21 December 2020

4th Trial Session @ SCC - During the hearing that day, no verdict was given. The judge at the SCC said he is waiting for the final report on torture that has to be sent by the normal criminal court.

A new hearing was scheduled at the SCC on 24 Dec 2020.

A new hearing regarding the torture was scheduled at the normal criminal court on 22 Dec 2020.

22 December 2020

Criminal Court Hearing - During Loujain’s hearing at the criminal court today, the judge gave her a secret report concluding the “investigation” regarding her torture. He asked her to give her response to the report on the same day. He then sent his final report (in which he denies torture) to the SCC.

23 December 2020

5th Trial Session - The SCC judge delayed the next hearing until Monday 28 Dec 2020 and notified Loujain and her family in court. 

28 December 2020

6th Trial Session - Loujain AlHathloul a leading Saudi women’s rights activist was sentenced to 5 years and 8 months in prison in court today by the Specialised Criminal Court (terrorism court). The sentence includes a suspension of 2 years and 10 months in addition to the time already served (since May 2018) which would see Loujain’s release in approximately two months. Loujain is also required to serve three years of probation during which time she could be arrested for any perceived illegal activity. She will also be placed on a 5 year travel ban.

9 February 2021

Loujain’s parents were called to the criminal court for a hearing regarding the torture investigation appeal. Loujain and her parents received the decision of the court of appeals regarding Loujain's appeal to the criminal court on her torture in the secret prison. For more information, check our Investigation Of The Torture Page

10 February 2021

After 1001 days in prison, Loujain AlHathloul was released from prison.

She had to sign a pledge not to speak about her case, and not to speak about the conditions in prison.

The family will hold a press briefing on 11 Feb 2021.

2 March 2021

On 2 March 2021 in the Specialised Criminal Court Loujain AlHathloul appeared for the start of her appeal hearing for the sentencing to 5 years and 8 months in prison. The session was adjourned until next Wednesday 10 March 2021. Please see a full update from the appeal session here.

10 March 2021

The judge denied the appeal and confirmed the sentence to 5 years and 8 months in prison which includes 3 years of probation and 5 years of a travel ban during which Loujain cannot leave Saudi Arabia at any time. Loujain’s charges had listed her communication with foreign parties which include the United Nations, British Embassy, European Union, The Netherlands, international human rights organizations and journalists.  In the first appeal hearing on 2 March 2021, Loujain noted that the articles of the terrorist law on which the court of the SCC relied on to convict Loujain labeled all foreign entities involved in her case as terrorist entities knowing that these entities are only defined by the Ministry of the Interior and approved by the King. The confirmation of Loujain’s sentence means that the Saudi authorities have also confirmed that the Saudi Authorities consider these foreign entities ‘terrorist entities’ and contacting them a terrorist act. 

9 May 2021

Loujain was called by the Security Agency (mabaheth), to sign on a document in which she acknowledges the Supreme Court’s final jugment. The latter upholding the Appeal’s court judgment, that confirms the sentencing of 5 years and 8 months, with the exact conditions, suspension and probation.

This confirms the lack of independence of the judiciary - why would a security agency be the one informing Loujain of a judgment?

Physical Torture

During her time in the secret prison, Loujain was physically tortured. The reports of torture came from Loujain’s family who decided to break their silence after months and after the Saudi authorities’ silence made them lose hope. 

Loujain said she had been held in solitary confinement, beaten, waterboarded, given electric shocks, sexually harassed and threatened with rape and murder. Loujain’s sister, Alia reported that her parents saw that Loujain’s thighs were blackened by bruises.

Saud al-Qahtani, a top royal adviser, was present several times when Loujain was tortured. Sometimes Mr. Qahtani laughed at her, sometimes he threatened to rape and kill her and throw her body into the sewage system. Along with six of his men, she said Mr. Qahtani tortured her all night during Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting. He forced Loujain to eat with them, even after sunrise. She asked them if they would keep eating all day during Ramadan. One of his men answered, “No one is above us, not even God.”

A delegation from the Saudi Human Rights Commission visited her after the publication of the reports about her torture. She told the delegation everything she had endured. Loujain asked the delegation if they would protect her. “We can’t,” the delegates replied.

From 1:13:33 to 1:24:10, Alia AlHathloul - sister of Loujain - speaks about Loujain’s arrest, torture and lack of accountability.

Solitary Confinement

Loujain was held in solitary confinement for different periods. During her first months of imprisonment Loujain was held in solitary confinement for 4 months. 

In April 2019, she was put back in solitary confinement for 10 months until the end of Jan/beginning of February 2020. 

Hunger Strike

First Hunger Strike : In August 2020, being deprived from any call or visits from her family for more than 4 months, and after acknowledging that other detainees were being allowed to call their families on a regular basis, Loujain decided to protest against these conditions and went on a hunger strike from 17 to 22 August 2020. After 6 days, prison officials agreed to allow her to have a family visit. 

Second Hunger Strike : On Monday 26 October 2020, Loujain’s parents visited her. She announced to them that she will start a hunger strike starting that evening to protest against the conditions of her detention (mainly not being allowed to have regular calls). Loujain did not get any access to her parents till November 25th, during her trial session. She said she had been on a hunger strike for a full 2 weeks, during which authorities would come to check up on her. After that, they started to exhaust her psychologically bu waking her up every 2 hours. Loujain said it destroyed her psychologically and she has horrible nightmares and reminisced the torture. She broke her hunger strike as a consequence.

No Accountability for Torture

Till this date, nobody has been held responsible for Loujain’s torture. Saudi authorities deny the torture. However, the regime’s narrative regarding Loujain’s case has been changed throughout the years. 

In 2018, in an interview with Bloomberg, MBS said explicitly that Loujain and the other women human rights activists are traitors and that he has evidence. He said he could show the evidence (videos) the day after the interview. 

In 2019, on CBS, MBS does not say they are traitors anymore, and he says it is up to the public prosecutor to make a judgement.

 When asked about Loujain’s torture, he denies that Saudi Arabia tortures prisoners. He then promises he would follow-up on the case. Until today no independent party has been allowed to investigate Loujain’s torture. 

It’s been more than 2 years, nothing has been given and Loujain remains arbitrarily detained. 

1. Demanding women’s rights that Sharia law grants Muslim women.

2. Having a coordinated agenda that includes campaigns in the media for alleged rights and demanding abolition of the male guardianship system.

3. Contacting international organizations, Saudi activists, and dissidents outside Saudi Arabia.

4. Receiving financial support (per diems) from an external organization to visit human rights organizations and to attend conferences and panels to speak about the status of Saudi women.

5. Providing recommendations to a foreign organization and to a Saudi human rights activist.

6. Supporting the organization “Hasem” (the Saudi Association for Political and Civil Rights (ACPRA)).

7. Applying for a job at the United Nations, and using her previous prison experience in her cover letter.

8. Discussing her experience during her previous detention at al-Haer prison with diplomats.

9. Participating in a documentary with British journalists to speak about her personal experience in prison.