Dr. Awad Al-Qarni: An opinion detainee threatened with execution for 6 years.

The lawyer and legal expert, Dr. Awad Al-Qarni, remains in prison since his arrest in September 2017 as part of the most famous arrest campaign in Saudi history, known as the September campaign. This campaign targeted a number of Saudi citizens from various backgrounds, orientations, and professions.

Dr. Awad Al-Qarni, who is 66 years old and has spent over 6 years in prison, is one of the most prominent opinion detainees threatened with execution. The Public Prosecution demands his execution. Despite 6 years passing since his arrest in September 2017, he has not been presented to a court for the past 3 years, and no judgment has been issued against him.

The Public Prosecution’s demand for his execution is based on his Twitter account. They considered his tweets, which fall within the framework of globally guaranteed freedom of expression, as charges deserving of execution. This reflects the deteriorating human rights situation in Saudi Arabia since the ascent of the Saudi Crown Prince, Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

International calls have been made for his release. The UN investigator Agnès Callamard and five others issued a report demanding his immediate release. The report warned against sentencing him to death and against the false charges against him.