{
  "id": 19464950,
  "title": "Sex outside marriage: Saudi court orders 100 lashes for Kenyan woman",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/11/sex-outside-marriage-saudi-court-orders-100-lashes-for-kenyan-woman-19464950",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-11T07:52:52.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch",
    "slug": "punch",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/sex-outside-marriage-saudi-court-orders-100-lashes-for-kenyan-woman/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A Kenyan woman, Esther Wanja Muthoni, faces 100 lashes after being convicted of having sex outside marriage in Saudi Arabia, according to a court ruling issued in October. The 40-year-old domestic worker, who has a one-year-old son, Abudy, had given birth in Saudi Arabia following a brief relationship with an Egyptian man. Muthoni has struggled to return to Kenya with her son due to legal proceedings against her. She was unable to leave Saudi Arabia with her child because of her criminal case, despite efforts from her employer, Maharah Human Resources, and the Kenyan Embassy to assist her. The New York Times reported that Muthoni was denied access to her staff accommodation and a shelter, and that the case has raised concerns about the application of Saudi Arabia's legal system, which is based on Islamic law, or sharia. Human rights activists criticized the punishment, stating that it violated international human rights standards and stripped Muthoni of her dignity.",
  "summary": "A Saudi Arabian court has sentenced a 40-year-old Kenyan domestic worker, Esther Wanja Muthoni, to 100 lashes for having sex outside marriage. Read More: https://punchng.com/sex-outside-marriage-saudi-court-orders-100-lashes-for-kenyan-woman/",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}