Release of Dr. Ibrahim Al-Harithi After Nearly 8 Years of Arbitrary Detention

Saudi authorities have released Dr. Ibrahim Al-Harithi from Dhahban Prison in Jeddah Province, after nearly eight years of arbitrary detention that began in September 2017.

Dr. Al-Harithi was arrested during the well-known September 2017 crackdown, which targeted a number of academics, preachers, and thinkers in Saudi Arabia. He was taken into custody in a brutal manner and later subjected to a secret trial that lacked the most basic standards of justice. Initially sentenced to four years in prison, his sentence was later arbitrarily increased to eight years without clear legal justification.

The SANAD Human Rights Organization congratulates Dr. Ibrahim Al-Harithi and his family on his release after years of suffering. SANAD renews its call on Saudi authorities to immediately and unconditionally release all prisoners of conscience and to put an end to the ongoing campaign of arrests and repression that has affected hundreds of innocent individuals simply for their opinions or peaceful activism.

SANAD affirms that freedom is a fundamental right—not a favor granted by the state—and that true justice begins with ending policies of oppression and holding those responsible accountable.