Continued Detention of Dr. Omar Al-Muqbil Despite the Completion of His Sentence
Since the arrest of Dr. Omar bin Abdulaziz Al-Muqbil in September 2019 for expressing his opinion on entertainment policies, Saudi authorities have continued to detain him despite the full completion of his sentence in March 2024—an act that lacks any legal basis or justification. Dr. Al-Muqbil, a professor of Islamic jurisprudence at Qassim University, simply made a calm academic remark, stating: “We are not against entertainment in the Kingdom, but we are against stripping society of its identity, against slaughtering modesty, and assassinating virtue.”
His statement reflected a conservative social position, containing no incitement, no insult, and no call for violence. It fell entirely within the legitimate boundaries of free expression as protected by law, reason, and basic human rights. Nevertheless, he was arrested immediately, sentenced to six months in prison, and later had his sentence increased by the Supreme Court to four years—ending completely in March 2024. Yet, he remains detained with no official explanation, in clear violation of the most basic principles of justice and due process.
What makes the situation even more troubling is that the Kingdom has simultaneously accelerated wide-ranging social changes. On 8 December, authorities announced a new decision easing restrictions on alcohol sales, allowing a category of high-income non-Muslim residents to purchase alcoholic beverages inside the country. This development is not examined here from a religious or social lens, but from a principle-based one: if the state is opening broader spaces for new forms of public life and implementing sensitive changes related to identity and societal values, then the fundamental question becomes: why is one direction allowed to expand freely, while the opposite viewpoint is denied even the right to express itself peacefully? How can sweeping lifestyle shifts be permitted, yet those who comment on them respectfully find themselves behind bars?
The continued detention of Dr. Al-Muqbil after the completion of his sentence reveals not only a legal failure, but also a double standard that turns freedom of expression into a privilege selectively granted rather than a universal right. If the authorities describe the current moment as one of “openness,” then such openness should naturally include diversity of thought, and guarantee that differing opinions are not treated as crimes punishable by imprisonment.
In this context, Together for Justice calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Dr. Omar Al-Muqbil, full disclosure of his current legal status, and an end to practices that render peaceful expression a punishable act. His return to his family and students is not merely a human rights demand—it is a legal entitlement long overdue, and nothing justifies keeping him behind bars after completing the sentence imposed on him.
