A Kenyan domestic worker living in Saudi Arabia is facing a frightening ordeal after a criminal court in Riyadh sentenced her to 100 lashes and one year of banishment for having sexual intercourse outside marriage following the birth of her child.
The October 2026 ruling has sparked fresh concerns about the plight of migrant workers in Gulf countries, particularly vulnerable women who find themselves caught up in legal battles after becoming pregnant outside marriage.
The 40-year-old woman, who is a mother of five, has reportedly spent more than a year struggling to return to Kenya with her young son. However, her hopes of reuniting with her family have been overshadowed by legal proceedings that have now culminated in a punishment she says she is terrified to face.
Speaking about the court’s decision during a telephone interview, the Kenyan woman expressed deep fear over the prospect of receiving the 100 lashes, saying she could hardly imagine enduring such punishment.
“I am so afraid. I don’t think I can endure those lashes,” she said, describing the emotional distress she has been experiencing since the ruling.
How her troubles began
The woman’s troubles reportedly started after she travelled to Saudi Arabia legally to seek employment as a domestic worker through a recruitment company.
While working in the kingdom, she became pregnant following a brief relationship with an Egyptian man who was also residing in the country.
In August 2025, she gave birth to a baby boy while staying in staff accommodation. However, her situation reportedly changed dramatically after a supervisor discovered that she had delivered a child.
The supervisor reportedly took her and the newborn to hospital, where police officers detained her for questioning over the circumstances surrounding the pregnancy.
Although she was subsequently released, her troubles were far from over. She reportedly lost access to her staff accommodation and was also turned away from a shelter, leaving her with nowhere to seek refuge.
With limited options, the desperate mother eventually found shelter at a petrol station in Riyadh, which had reportedly become a meeting point for migrant mothers hoping to return to their respective home countries with their children.
Court proceedings and the controversial sentence
Her case eventually proceeded to a criminal court in Riyadh, where a three-judge panel heard the matter through several sessions during the summer of 2026.
The woman said she had been provided with a translator during the court proceedings but did not have a lawyer to represent her.
Court documents also appeared to indicate that she had no legal representation, raising questions about whether she received adequate legal assistance throughout the proceedings.
Although defendants who cannot afford legal representation are entitled to state-sponsored legal assistance under Saudi law, experts have expressed concern about criminal cases proceeding without lawyers representing vulnerable defendants.
After considering the case, the court found the Kenyan woman guilty of having sexual intercourse outside marriage and handed her 100 lashes alongside one year of banishment.
The sentence left the mother devastated, especially because she had been hoping to return home and rebuild her life with her children.
“I don’t deserve this,” she said, expressing her frustration and distress over the court’s decision.
Why she declined to appeal
Despite her fears about the punishment, the Kenyan woman reportedly chose not to appeal the ruling.
She explained that challenging the decision could prolong the legal battle and further delay her return to Kenya with her young son.
For her, going back home and reuniting with her other children has become more important than pursuing another lengthy court process.
“It is the only way that can take me back home to my children,” she said.
Her predicament highlights the difficult circumstances migrant domestic workers can face far away from their families, particularly when personal challenges intersect with unfamiliar legal systems.
For the 40-year-old mother, what began as a journey abroad in search of employment and a better life has turned into a painful struggle involving separation from her family, uncertainty about her future and the fear of a punishment she says she may not be able to endure.
