Arrested Over a Friday Sermon: Imam of the Grand Mosque, Dr. Saleh Al-Talib, Enters His Eighth Year in Detention

These days mark the seventh anniversary of the arrest of Dr. Saleh Al-Talib, Imam of the Grand Mosque in Mecca, who was detained by Saudi authorities in August 2018 following a Friday sermon in which he criticized official policies.

Despite being acquitted by the Specialized Criminal Court in early 2022, the Court of Appeals overturned the verdict and issued a harsh 10-year prison sentence. The Supreme Court later ruled that even this sentence was insufficient, despite the fact that his arrest constitutes a clear violation of the right to freedom of expression guaranteed by law.

According to the Sanad Human Rights Organization, Dr. Al-Talib’s detention involved serious violations, beginning with his sudden arrest at the airport upon returning from abroad with his family, causing fear and distress to his wife and children, followed by a month-long enforced disappearance, and restrictions on his communication with relatives.

In this context, Sanad reiterates its call on Saudi authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Dr. Saleh Al-Talib, to end the targeting of individuals for their opinions, and to uphold freedom of expression while ceasing all forms of intimidation and suppression of independent religious and intellectual voices.