As part of the #RememberAPrisonerInRamadan campaign, launched by human rights organizations to raise awareness about political prisoners in Saudi Arabia and highlight their suffering during this sacred month, Together for Justice is launching its own initiative: Preachers Absent in Ramadan. This campaign aims to shed light on the cases of scholars and religious figures who have been unjustly detained, preventing them from fulfilling their spiritual and educational roles. Today, we focus on the plight of Sheikh Awad Al-Qarni, a prominent religious scholar who faces the death penalty merely for exercising his right to freedom of expression.
In September 2017, Sheikh Awad Al-Qarni, a distinguished Saudi cleric and law professor, was arrested during a large-scale crackdown ordered by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. This wave of repression targeted intellectuals, scholars, and human rights advocates in an effort to consolidate power and silence dissent. The charges against Al-Qarni were nothing more than a pretext to justify the systematic suppression of free speech. His so-called “offenses” included managing a Twitter account, engaging in private discussions via WhatsApp, and expressing political views deemed “hostile to the state” by Saudi authorities. While such activities are protected under freedom of expression laws in most countries, in Saudi Arabia, they are considered serious crimes warranting the harshest punishments.
According to documents revealed by his son, Nasser Al-Qarni, to international media, including The Guardian, Saudi authorities accused Sheikh Al-Qarni of using social media and private messaging apps to discuss political issues. Among the charges against him are tweeting critical opinions of the Saudi government, using WhatsApp to share videos praising the Muslim Brotherhood—a group designated as a terrorist organization by Saudi Arabia—and owning a Telegram account allegedly used to disseminate anti-government messages. Despite the fact that these actions fall entirely within the realm of peaceful expression, the Saudi Public Prosecutor has demanded his execution, arguing that his online activities constitute a form of rebellion against the state.
Case documents indicate that Sheikh Al-Qarni “confessed” to using social media to share his views. Given Saudi Arabia’s long history of extracting confessions through coercion and torture, there are serious concerns regarding the conditions under which these statements were made. His son, Nasser Al-Qarni, who fled the country due to threats against his life, has spoken out about the politically motivated nature of the charges, emphasizing that his father’s case is being used to intimidate and silence other potential critics.
Sheikh Awad Al-Qarni’s case is not an isolated incident. In recent years, Saudi Arabia has intensified its crackdown on social media users, activists, and even ordinary citizens who express dissenting opinions on platforms such as Twitter, WhatsApp, and Telegram. The regime views online dissent as a significant threat to its authority and punishes those who engage in it with lengthy prison sentences or, in extreme cases like Al-Qarni’s, the death penalty. Notable examples of this repression include the case of Salma Al-Shehab, a PhD student at the University of Leeds and a mother of two, who was sentenced to 34 years in prison simply for following and retweeting posts by Saudi dissidents and activists. Similarly, Nora Al-Qahtani received a 45-year sentence for social media activity deemed critical of the government.
These cases exemplify Saudi Arabia’s zero-tolerance policy toward freedom of expression. In a country where dissent is treated as treason, a single critical tweet or shared video can lead to life-altering consequences. For many, this means years in prison; for some, like Sheikh Al-Qarni, it means facing execution.
The targeting of Sheikh Awad Al-Qarni further underscores the increasingly politicized nature of Saudi Arabia’s judicial system. Since Mohammed bin Salman’s rise to power, the courts have been weaponized to legitimize the regime’s suppression of dissent. Political prisoners are often subjected to secretive trials, denied access to legal representation, and deprived of any real opportunity to defend themselves. In Al-Qarni’s case, as in many others, the charges against him are deliberately vague and exaggerated, accusing him of “opposing the regime”—a broad accusation that encompasses any form of peaceful criticism. By framing dissent as a national security threat, the Saudi government justifies extreme measures, including the death penalty, against those who simply exercise their right to free speech.
Moreover, Saudi Arabia’s use of counterterrorism laws to prosecute individuals like Al-Qarni and Al-Shehab is part of a broader strategy to suppress opposition. These laws are often applied arbitrarily, equating legitimate activism with violent extremism. This deliberate conflation of peaceful political expression with terrorism undermines fundamental principles of justice and fairness.
The case of Sheikh Awad Al-Qarni has drawn widespread condemnation from international human rights organizations. Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and other advocacy groups have called for his immediate release, as well as the release of all prisoners of conscience in Saudi Arabia. These organizations have highlighted the regime’s alarming pattern of using social media activity as a pretext for imposing severe punishments, including execution.
The international community bears a significant responsibility in holding the Saudi government accountable for its human rights violations. Governments, particularly those with close ties to Saudi Arabia, such as the United States and the United Kingdom, must exert diplomatic pressure to push the kingdom toward respecting freedom of expression and ensuring fair trials for political detainees. Furthermore, global social media platforms like Twitter, WhatsApp, and Telegram must recognize their responsibility in protecting users’ rights. While these platforms provide spaces for discussion and activism, authoritarian regimes exploit them to monitor, target, and silence dissent. Social media companies must implement stronger safeguards to prevent their platforms from being weaponized by oppressive governments.
The case of Sheikh Awad Al-Qarni serves as a stark reminder of the risks faced by those who dare to speak out against the Saudi regime. The looming threat of his execution for merely using social media illustrates the unprecedented assault on freedom of expression in the kingdom. As long as the international community remains silent, the Saudi authorities will continue to weaponize their judiciary to crush opposition.
It is imperative that human rights organizations, governments, and civil society groups maintain pressure on Saudi Arabia to end its repression of dissent. Sheikh Awad Al-Qarni, like many others, deserves the right to express his views without fear of imprisonment or execution. Justice and stability cannot be achieved in a system where a single tweet or private conversation can cost a person their life. We urge all free people around the world to take part in the #PreachersAbsentInRamadan campaign and use this hashtag to continually remind the world of the suffering of Saudi detainees who have been unjustly imprisoned simply for expressing their opinions. Raising awareness and standing in solidarity with these prisoners is a collective responsibility, especially during this sacred month, which embodies the values of justice and mercy. Ongoing advocacy and international pressure are essential to securing their release and ending the violations against them. Do not let their voices be silenced behind bars—be their voice on the outside.