Kenya’s Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Korir Sing’Oei, has expressed concern over the sentencing of a Kenyan mother in Saudi Arabia to 100 lashes and one year of banishment for giving birth outside marriage.
In a statement shared on X, Sing’Oei described the punishment as one that would constitute cruel and inhuman treatment under Kenya’s jurisdiction, while acknowledging Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and legal system.
“Saddened by what would constitute ‘cruel and inhuman’ punishment under our jurisdiction, but respectful of the sovereignty of Saudi legal system,” he wrote.
Sing’Oei added that Kenya would continue engaging its Saudi counterparts on complex matters involving judicial enforcement.
His remarks follow reports about Esther Wanja Muthoni, a Kenyan domestic worker and mother of a one-year-old child who was sentenced by a Saudi court after being convicted of having a child outside marriage.
The case has raised concerns about the welfare of Kenyan migrant workers and the challenges they face when navigating foreign legal systems.
Kenya’s position highlights the delicate balance between raising human rights concerns and respecting the sovereignty of other countries’ judicial systems.
