A Kenyan domestic worker in Saudi Arabia has received a sentence of 100 lashes following the birth of a child outside marriage. Esther Wanja Muthoni worked as a housekeeper and nanny in the country and became pregnant during a relationship with an Egyptian man. She stated that the father of the child has since left the nation.
Extramarital sex is a criminal offence under Saudi sharia law. Human rights organizations argue that women face disproportionate targeting under these laws and condemn the punishment as an act of violence.
Hospitals in Saudi Arabia must report unmarried women who give birth to the authorities. Rights groups indicate this reporting requirement brought Muthoni’s case to light, while many other unmarried women give birth at home to avoid detection.
Ekaterina Porras Sivolobova, founder of the migrant workers rights group Do Bold, explained the pattern. "Most of them give birth at home, that is why they are not reported," she said.
A previous investigation published in 2024 revealed that numerous Kenyan single mothers have been abandoned by the fathers of their children due to fears of arrest for extramarital sex.
Following the court ruling issued last month, Muthoni expressed fear regarding the physical impact of the punishment. She told reporters she was afraid about not being able to endure the lashes and stated she did not deserve the penalty.
The sentencing coincides with the postponement of a planned visit to Saudi Arabia by Reem Alsalem, the United Nations special rapporteur on violence against women and girls. Alsalem said she had intended to raise specific cases during the trip and would address them separately through established channels if the visit does not occur soon.
Critics have questioned the kingdom’s recent social changes in light of the ruling. Aldossari stated that the case shows hypocrisy behind proclaimed Saudi reforms, noting that the crown prince has attempted to present the nation as modern and empowering to women.
Saudi authorities announced a reform in April 2020 to end flogging as a judicial punishment. However, human rights group ALQST reported in 2021 that flogging remained a possible penalty for certain fixed punishments under Islamic law, such as adultery and alcohol consumption, because the reform only applied to offences where judges hold sentencing discretion.
Sivolobova also pointed to difficulties in assisting Kenyan mothers compared to nationals from other countries. She stated she had not been able to secure support from Kenyan authorities to help these women.
