2,850 Days of Arbitrary Detention: Dr. Hassan Farhan Al-Maliki Still Imprisoned Without a Fair Trial

It has now been 2,850 days since Saudi authorities arbitrarily arrested Dr. Hassan Farhan Al-Maliki in September 2017. His detention continues without clear legal grounds, amid ongoing threats of a possible death sentence.

Throughout his imprisonment, Dr. Al-Maliki has endured a series of severe human rights violations. These include the violent raid of his home and the intimidation of his family during his arrest, denial of his right to legal representation, prolonged solitary confinement, and months of being cut off from contact with his loved ones. Most painfully, he was even barred from attending the funeral of his son Farhan, who died while Dr. Al-Maliki was still in prison.

Dr. Al-Maliki’s case is one of the most prominent examples of the systematic targeting of independent thinkers and voices of conscience in Saudi Arabia. His prolonged detention highlights the absence of basic guarantees for a fair trial, the politicization of the judiciary, and the misuse of vague laws to silence dissent.

SANAD Human Rights Organization reiterates its call for the immediate and unconditional release of Dr. Hassan Al-Maliki, full reparation for the physical and psychological harm inflicted on him and his family, and an end to the repressive practices that continue to violate fundamental human rights in the country.