SANAD Human Rights Organization Condemns the Continued Detention of Dr. Abdullah Basfar and Calls for His Immediate Release
Saudi authorities continue to detain Dr. Abdullah Basfar since August 2020, following his acceptance of an invitation to lead prayers at the courtyard of Hagia Sophia Mosque in Istanbul.
On 12 October 2022, the Specialized Criminal Court in Riyadh sentenced him to 12 years in prison after a secret trial during which he was denied the right to appoint a lawyer to defend himself.
Dr. Abdullah Basfar was born in Jeddah in 1961 and holds a PhD from Umm Al-Qura University. Prior to his arrest, he served as an associate professor at King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, and was also an imam and preacher at Mansour Al-Shuaibi Mosque in Jeddah.
SANAD Human Rights Organization affirms that the continued detention of Dr. Basfar lacks any legal basis, and renews its call on Saudi authorities to release him immediately and unconditionally, and to guarantee his fundamental rights as protected under domestic laws and international human rights conventions.
