A woman was sentenced to 100 lashes after giving birth out of wedlock in Saudi Arabia

A Kenyan woman, Esther Wanja Muthoni, employed as a housekeeper and nanny in Saudi Arabia, was sentenced to 100 lashes for giving birth to a child out of wedlock. The sentence was handed down last month, after the woman went to the hospital to give birth. It is unclear when the punishment will be carried out.

According to information cited by The Guardian and The New York Times, Muthoni became pregnant following a relationship with an Egyptian man, who has since left Saudi Arabia. The woman said she fears she will not be able to withstand the punishment and that she does not deserve to be flogged.

The case became public because Saudi hospitals are required to report unmarried women who give birth to the authorities. The organization Do Bold claims that many women give birth at home to avoid being reported and possible criminal proceedings.

In Saudi Arabia, sexual relations outside marriage are a criminal offense under a legal system inspired by sharia. Human rights organizations say that women are disproportionately affected and are calling for Muthoni to be repatriated to Kenya.

The verdict was also criticized in the context of the reforms promoted by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. In 2020, the authorities announced the abandonment of flogging for ta'zir-type punishments, but the measure did not eliminate this sanction for certain hudud-type offenses, including adultery. The visit of the UN special rapporteur on violence against women to Saudi Arabia has since been postponed.