Continued Detention of Academic Dr. Mohammed Al-Hazmi Since 2021 Over Attendance at a Licensed Cultural Seminar
Saudi authorities continue to detain Dr. Mohammed Al-Hazmi, Professor of Arabic Language at King Khalid University, since July 2021, over his attendance at a cultural seminar held at the home of Dr. Awad Al-Qarni.
The SANAD Human Rights Organization has revealed that Dr. Al-Hazmi’s arrest came as part of the so-called “Abha campaign,” which targeted five prominent figures for their participation in a licensed cultural seminar held in 2013 at Dr. Al-Qarni’s home—several years prior to their arrest. The charges against Al-Hazmi also relied on tweets attributed to him on X (formerly Twitter), which he denied authoring, as well as an old Friday sermon whose case had been officially closed after he signed a pledge, despite the fact that it fell within legally protected freedom of expression.
According to available information, the public prosecution brought vague charges against Dr. Al-Hazmi, including “supporting a banned group” and “undermining social security,” in addition to alleging possession of a banned book, which he stated he had owned for decades when it was not prohibited. Based on these allegations, prosecutors sought maximum penalties, including lengthy prison terms, a travel ban, and the closure of his personal X account.
In his response to the indictment, Dr. Al-Hazmi noted that some of the alleged acts preceded the enactment of the counterterrorism law, making its retroactive application a violation of the principle of non-retroactivity of laws. He also emphasized that the Friday sermon case had been legally settled previously, and stated that the nighttime raid on his home and his humiliating arrest constituted a clear violation of Saudi regulations, which prohibit night searches except in cases of extreme necessity—conditions not present in his case.
Despite the lack of credible evidence and the deterioration of his health due to age, the Specialized Criminal Court issued an unjust ruling sentencing him to 23 years in prison, followed by a 23-year travel ban, and ordering the permanent closure of his X account.
