Saudi Arabia continues to detain Dr. Mohammed Al-Hazmi for over three years on charges related to freedom of expression.

Saudi authorities have been detaining Dr. Mohammed Al-Hazmi, a professor of Arabic at King Khalid University, since July 7, 2021, due to his participation in a permitted seminar at Dr. Awad Al-Qarni’s house in 2013, in addition to tweets on platform X that Al-Hazmi denied being linked to, and a Friday sermon he delivered years ago.

The public prosecution has leveled vague charges against him, including supporting a banned group and undermining societal security. They also claimed he possessed a prohibited book, despite his confirmation that the book had been in his library for decades and was not banned at the time. Based on these accusations, the prosecution has demanded the harshest penalties, including imprisonment, a travel ban, and the closure of his account on platform X.

In his response to the charges, Al-Hazmi explained that the anti-terrorism law was passed after the events in question, making the penalty a violation of the principle of non-retroactivity of laws. He also clarified that the Friday sermon issue, which occurred years ago, had been closed earlier after he signed an official pledge. Additionally, he condemned the brutal manner of his arrest and the nighttime search of his home, considering it a violation of Saudi laws that prohibit nighttime searches except in cases of extreme necessity.

Despite the absence of clear evidence and his deteriorating health due to being over the age of 64, the Specialized Criminal Court issued an unjust verdict, sentencing him to 23 years in prison, with the same duration of a travel ban, in addition to permanently closing his account on platform X.

SANAD Human Rights Organization condemns the continued detention of Dr. Mohammed Al-Hazmi and calls on Saudi authorities to immediately release him unconditionally. The organization also urges an end to the exploitation of anti-terrorism laws to restrict freedom of expression and fabricate charges, and demands the release of all political prisoners who are suffering from similar violations.