Saudi woman sentenced to 100 lashes for out-of-wedlock birth
The gist
A Riyadh criminal court sentenced Kenyan domestic worker Esther Muthoni to 100 lashes and a year's banishment for giving birth outside marriage.
Kenya is pressing the case diplomatically, and it remains unclear when or whether the flogging happens.
How it unfolded
- Aug 2025Muthoni gave birth in staff housing in Saudi Arabia before being taken to hospital; police allegedly detained her for questioning about the pregnancy.
- Oct 2026A three-judge panel at a criminal court in Riyadh sentenced her to 100 lashes, according to an investigative report by The New York Times.
- Nov 10, 2026The New York Times posted that a Saudi court had sentenced a domestic worker from Kenya to 100 lashes for giving birth outside marriage.
Key terms
- Sharia law
- Body of Islamic religious law based on the Qur'an and hadith that governs many aspects of Muslim life.
- zina
- Islamic legal term for unlawful sexual intercourse, including adultery and fornication.
- banishment
- Penal expulsion of a person from their native country or homeland.
Source: Wikipedia