Sanad Calls on Saudi Arabia to Release Quran Reciter Abdulmajid Al-Arkani and Overturn His Unjust Sentence

Saudi authorities have continued to detain Quran reciter Abdulmajid Al-Arkani since 2020, where he is currently serving a 10-year sentence in Sha’ar Prison.

Al-Arkani was arrested after communicating with Turkish politician Yasin Aktay following a Muslim World League conference in Saudi Arabia, where he recited verses of the Quran before Aktay, who praised him and exchanged contact details. Authorities considered this interaction grounds for his arrest, while Al-Arkani confirmed the contact was limited to exchanging Eid greetings after the conference.

He was initially sentenced to five years in prison, later reduced to two and a half years, before being harshly increased again to 10 years. During his detention in Sha’ar Prison, Al-Arkani has endured severe violations, including beatings and prolonged solitary confinement.

Sanad Human Rights Organization calls on Saudi authorities to drop the sentence against Al-Arkani, release him immediately and unconditionally, and compensate him for the violations he has suffered during his detention.