Saadullah Al-Hawali Completes Eight Years Behind Bars as SANAD Calls for His Release

Saadullah Al-Hawali has completed eight years in Saudi prisons since his arrest in July 2018 over his family ties to his brother, detained scholar Dr. Safar Al-Hawali, who was arrested around the same time over a draft book containing criticism of government policies.

Saadullah Al-Hawali was arrested after masked security forces surrounded and raided his home, terrorizing his family before taking him to an unknown location. He was subsequently denied contact with his family and access to a lawyer.

During his detention, Al-Hawali was subjected to several violations, including enforced disappearance and a secret trial that lacked basic fair-trial guarantees. He was initially sentenced to four years in prison, before the Court of Appeal increased his sentence to 14 years.

SANAD Human Rights Organization condemns the continued detention of Saadullah Al-Hawali and the violations that marred his trial. It renews its call on the Saudi authorities to overturn his unjust sentence and release him immediately and unconditionally.