Reacting to the sentence, the woman expressed fear over the prospect of receiving 100 lashes, saying she was uncertain whether she could withstand the punishment.
A 40-year-old Kenyan domestic worker employed in Saudi Arabia is facing 100 lashes and one year of banishment after a criminal court in Riyadh convicted her of engaging in sexual relations outside marriage following the birth of her child.
The sentence, handed down in October 2026 by a three-judge panel, has drawn attention to the treatment of migrant workers, particularly unmarried women who become pregnant while working in the Gulf nation.
According to The New York Times, the woman, a mother of five, travelled to Saudi Arabia legally through a licensed recruitment agency. She reportedly conceived after a brief relationship with an Egyptian man who was also living in the country.
She gave birth in August 2025 while staying in staff accommodation. However, her situation took a turn when a supervisor discovered the baby, took her to hospital and subsequently reported her to the police.
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She was detained and questioned about the circumstances surrounding the pregnancy.
Homeless After Release
Following her release, the woman reportedly lost access to her previous accommodation and struggled to find somewhere to stay with her newborn child.
Her efforts to secure shelter were unsuccessful, forcing her to seek refuge at a petrol station in Riyadh, where other migrant mothers hoping to return to their home countries with their children had also gathered.
Despite attending several court hearings, she had no legal representation throughout the proceedings, with court documents reportedly confirming that she did not have a lawyer.
Reacting to the sentence, the woman expressed fear over the prospect of receiving 100 lashes, saying she was uncertain whether she could withstand the punishment.
“I am so afraid. I don’t think I can endure those lashes,” she said.
Chooses Not to Appeal
The Kenyan woman reportedly decided against appealing the conviction, fearing that doing so would prolong her stay in Saudi Arabia and delay her reunion with her five children back home.
“It is the only way that can take me back home to my children,” she explained.
Despite accepting the outcome of the proceedings, she maintained that she did not deserve the punishment.
“I don’t deserve this,” she said.
Her situation has been further complicated by the expiry of her travel documents, leaving uncertainty over when she and her young son will be allowed to leave Saudi Arabia and return to Kenya.
The case has renewed scrutiny of the challenges faced by migrant domestic workers in Saudi Arabia, particularly women who find themselves pregnant outside marriage and without adequate legal or social support.
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