'Despite the oppression': Saudi activist Loujain Al-Hathloul graduates from Sorbonne with master's degree

Saudi women’s rights activist Loujain Al-Hathloul has received a master's degree from Paris’ prestigious Sorbonne University, despite being on a travel ban.

In a statement on social media on Thursday, Hathloul said: "Despite the circumstances, pain, oppression, and obstruction to my academic career for years, I succeeded in obtaining a master’s degree from the Sorbonne University (Paris) after 6 years of persistence. Thank you God always and forever".

"Thank you to everyone who supported and supported me, specifically my parents," she added.

رغم الظروف، والألم، والقهر، وعرقلة لمسيرتي الأكاديمية لسنوات، نجحت في الحصول على شهادة الماجستير من جامعة السوربون (باريس) بعد ٦ سنوات من الإصرار. الحمدلله دائمًا وأبدا.

شكراً لكل من ساندني ودعمني، وعلى رأسهم أهلي.#ClassOf2022 pic.twitter.com/w32eChZUPx

— لجين هذلول الهذلول (@LoujainHathloul) February 23, 2023

The tweet was accompanied by picture of a beaming Hathloul holding her certification, which she obtained from the department of social and human sciences, specialising in sociology.

Hathloul’s recent academic achievement comes just over two years after being released from jail, after having served an almost-three-year prison sentence under a so-called "counter-terrorism" law in the Saudi kingdom.

The 33-year-old is one of the country’s most prominent activists, having campaigned extensively for the right for women to drive in Saudi Arabia and for the end of the male guardianship system.

The activist, who is also a graduate of the University of British Columbia, has been arrested, detained and kidnapped on a number of occasions for defying the driving ban beginning in 2014, before being sentenced in 2018 for her involvement in the women’s rights movement. Hathloul was initially given a six-year prison sentence which was was reportedly reduced amid pressure from Joe Biden’s US administration, as well as the international community.

Hathloul, who was imprisoned for 1001 days, also accused authorities of repeated torture, including waterboarding, sexual assault and rape threats.

At the time of her arrest, she was among a group of women’s rights activists who were arrested for their work amid a widespread crackdown on dissidents in the Gulf kingdom. The other activists included Aziza al-Youssef and Eman al-Nafjan.

Despite her release, the women's rights campaigner is subjected to a five-year travel ban, as well as other restrictions.

Hathloul was twice nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and was named among Time Magazine’s Most Influential People of 2019.

In 2020, Hathloul was awarded the Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize.