Saudi Arabia Must End the Unjust Detention of Scholar Hassan Farhan Al-Maliki
While Saudi Arabia continues to present an image of reform and modernization under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the grim reality of its human rights record tells a completely different story. Among the many cases that expose the kingdom’s ongoing repression is that of prominent scholar and reformist Hassan Farhan Al-Maliki, who has been imprisoned for over seven years without a fair trial. His prolonged detention and the severe human rights violations he has endured highlight the deep-rooted repression that persists in Saudi Arabia, despite its claims of progress.
Al-Maliki was arrested in September 2017 during a widespread crackdown on intellectuals, activists, and human rights defenders. This campaign aimed to silence all forms of dissent and critical thought that the Saudi regime perceived as a threat to its absolute rule. His so-called “crimes”? Possessing “banned books” and advocating for political reform and democracy. In the eyes of the Saudi authorities, these peaceful actions were deemed sufficient grounds for imprisonment.
For over a year following his arrest, Al-Maliki was held in arbitrary detention without charges or trial. It was only in October 2018 that he was brought before the Specialized Criminal Court (SCC)—a judicial body notorious for issuing harsh sentences and denying basic legal rights. He was charged under Saudi Arabia’s draconian counterterrorism law, facing accusations that have no legal merit and are clearly designed to punish him for his independent thinking and calls for reform.
Since the beginning of his trial, justice has been systematically denied to Al-Maliki. His court proceedings have been postponed more than 16 times, an evident tactic to prolong his suffering and deprive him of any semblance of a fair trial. Throughout his detention, he has been subjected to serious human rights violations, including prolonged solitary confinement, denial of access to legal representation, and restrictions on communicating with his family. For long periods, he was also denied access to his own case files, depriving him of the ability to defend himself properly.
In an outrageous display of injustice, Saudi prosecutors have called for the death penalty against Al-Maliki—not for any act of violence or public endangerment, but merely for possessing books that challenge the state’s official ideology and advocating for political reform. These charges are as absurd as they are unjust, reflecting the regime’s deep fear of intellectual freedom and any form of independent thought.
Al-Maliki’s suffering stands in stark contrast to the narrative of reform that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman promotes to the international community. The Saudi government frequently claims to be advancing human rights and freedom of expression, yet continues to imprison, torture, and threaten with execution individuals like Al-Maliki—whose only “crime” is calling for the very reforms the crown prince pretends to embrace.
The international community cannot remain silent in the face of such blatant human rights violations. Al-Maliki’s case is not isolated; it is part of a broader crackdown that has targeted intellectuals, religious scholars, activists, and ordinary citizens since 2017. Among them is Sheikh Salman Al-Ouda, who, like Al-Maliki, faces a possible death sentence simply for expressing his views.
Governments, human rights organizations, and civil society groups must urgently demand the immediate and unconditional release of Hassan Farhan Al-Maliki and all others who have been unjustly detained in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi authorities must be held accountable for their continued persecution of peaceful thinkers and reform advocates, and international pressure is crucial in pushing back against these abuses.
True reform in Saudi Arabia will only be possible when voices like Al-Maliki’s are not only tolerated but encouraged. The international community must stand in solidarity with prisoners of conscience in Saudi Arabia, ensuring that those who risk their freedom for the sake of justice and human rights do not suffer in silence. Until then, the promise of a “new Saudi Arabia” remains nothing more than hollow rhetoric, overshadowed by the stark reality of systematic repression.
