'Silence Is Killing but We Are Steadfast': Saudi Activist Arrested for Tweeting

Abdulkhair's 15-year prison sentence was upheld last February after being convicted in July 2014 for a number of charges including "inciting public opinion." Although Badawi was arrested Tuesday for an allegedly "leaked" image showing Abdulkhair while in prison, Amnesty International has described the arrest as the latest attempt to intimidate activists.

"Samar Badawi's arrest is yet another alarming setback for human rights in Saudi Arabia and demonstrates the extreme lengths to which the authorities are prepared to go in their relentless campaign to harass and intimidate human rights defenders into silent submission," said Philip Luther, the director of the organization's Middle East and North Africa Program.

Leaked photo of human rights activists, — وليد أبوالخير (@WaleedAbulkhair)January 8, 2016

Activists from the region reported on Wednesday that Badawi had been released and was now back home with her infant daughter. But Fadi al-Qadi, a human rights advocate and commentator who is part of an alliance of prominent rights defenders in the Middle East and North Africa, has been critical of how the arrest was handled, particularly in relation to Badawi's child.

"Samar was not aware why she was summoned to the police station in Jeddah," he tells Broadly. "She brought her daughter Jood, a toddler, who was then separated from her. Jood didn't know where or with whom she was supposed to spend the night with…I can't position myself in the brains of the toddler who was all of the sudden disconnected from her mama after already being separated of her papa."

Al-Qadi also says Badawi had no legal protection. "Not being able to access a lawyer perhaps illustrates the arbitrary nature of Saudi law enforcement, which has no respect to minimum justice procedural requirements. If you summoned a person for whatever reason, you need to ensure they have proper legal defense, and if they don't have means to get in touch with defense counselors, the government should make sure to connect them with someone."

Broadly had contacted Badawi last month ahead of the historic elections in Saudi Arabia for her view on the involvement women for the first time. She responded to say she could not comment, as she was "forbidden from talking to the media from the Saudi government."

She posted her last tweet just over four weeks later during the mass executions on January 2 that led to the Kingdom's tensions with Iran. "Silence is killing but we are steadfast," she said, signing it off with a peace sign emoji.

It is not the first time Badawi has been punished in her battle for justice. In 2010, she served seven months in jail "for disobeying her father," after repeatedlyfiling court cases against her father who abused her from the age of 14 for 15 years. Her determination to fight for her rights was recognised in 2012 by the US State Department, when she was given the International Woman of Courage award by Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama.

In the same year, her brother Raif was arrested and convicted of "insulting Islam" for co-founding the Saudi Liberal Internet discussion group, which promoted free speech and sought an end to the influence of religious leaders on public life in the Kingdom. He was sentenced to 1,000 lashes and a 10-year prison term for insulting the religious establishment.

In December 2014, Samar Badawi's successes abroad led to a travel ban by the Saudi interior ministry, which prevented her from travelling to Brussels for a human rights conference. "We may never see each other [outside Saudi Arabia] unless the ban is removed," al-Qadi laments. "Like her [former] husband Waleed, Samar juggled many campaigns to help Saudi people claim their rights. She tirelessly worked with other colleagues in the Arab world and beyond to campaign and advocate for critical rights issues in Syria, Yemen and elsewhere. But now, we have to intervene for Samar herself."

As her brother celebrates his birthday in prison today, she has been ordered to return to Jeddah police station on Thursday to face further interrogation.