A Saudi terrorism court, Monday, sentenced a 34-year-old PhD student of Leads University, United Kingdom, Salma al-Shebab, to 34 years imprisonment for demanding the release of women right activists on social media.

The mother of two is also on a 34-year travel ban upon the expiration of her jail term.

Al-Shebab was arrested in January 2021, while on holiday in the Kingdom and was sentenced for using her Twitter account for retweeting dissident activists.

She was also accused of using Twitter to ‘cause public unrest and destabilise civil and national security’ after she posted tweets calling for women’s rights in Saudi Arabia.

A report by The Daily Mail has it that Al-Shebab, who has two young sons aged four and six, was earlier sentenced to six years in prison but the terrorism court, increased her jail term to 34 years after the activist appealed her sentence.

It was gathered that in delivering the judgement, the court cited Al-Shebab’s social media activity where she tweeted in support of women’s rights in the Kingdom.

She was also accused of expressing solidarity with imprisoned women right activists such as Loujain al-Hathloul, and subsequently called for their freedom.

She was said to have been arrested after she retweeted a post from Al-Hathloul’s sister, Lina.

The post read, “Freedom for Loujain Al-Hathloul … Freedom for all prisoners of conscience. Your freedom is my first wish for this New Year – Happy New Year.” the Daily Mail reported.

She was accused of ‘providing succor to those seeking to disrupt public order and undermine the safety of the general public and stability of the state, and publishing false and tendentious rumors on Twitter‘.