Saudi Regime Continues Arbitrary Detention of Academic Dr. Mohammed bin Ali Al-Hazmi for Peaceful Expression
Together for Justice expresses its deep concern over the continued arbitrary detention of Saudi academic Dr. Mohammed bin Ali Al-Hazmi, who has now spent four years in prison under a 23-year sentence, followed by a 23-year travel ban. His case exemplifies the Saudi authorities’ ongoing pattern of suppressing independent voices and violating fundamental rights.
Dr. Al-Hazmi, a professor of Arabic Language and Literature at King Khalid University, was arrested in July 2021 following a raid by 24 security officers on his home in Abha. He was forcibly disappeared for several months, denied access to legal counsel, and deprived of basic procedural safeguards. His arrest and subsequent prosecution were based on peaceful activities, including attending a licensed seminar in 2013 titled “Freedom Between Slogan and Reality”, posting tweets calling for the release of prisoners of conscience, and delivering sermons allegedly deemed inconsistent with government narratives.
Despite Dr. Al-Hazmi’s defense before the court—where he denied ownership of the social media accounts in question and demonstrated that the events cited predated relevant legal prohibitions—he was convicted under vague and overly broad charges related to the Anti-Terrorism Law. The trial proceedings fell significantly short of international fair trial standards.
The continued imprisonment of Dr. Al-Hazmi constitutes a flagrant violation of the right to freedom of expression as enshrined in international human rights instruments, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Saudi Arabia is a party. It also reflects the broader instrumentalization of the judiciary by Saudi authorities as a tool of political repression.
Together for Justice calls for:
- The immediate and unconditional release of Dr. Mohammed bin Ali Al-Hazmi and all individuals detained solely for the peaceful exercise of their rights.
- An end to all forms of political and diplomatic normalization with Saudi authorities until credible reforms are undertaken to respect fundamental rights and freedoms.
- The initiation of independent, transparent international investigations into human rights abuses within Saudi detention facilities and the prosecution of those responsible.
The continued silence of the international community in the face of such violations undermines the global human rights framework and emboldens further abuses.
Dr. Mohammed bin Ali Al-Hazmi is imprisoned not for any criminal act, but for exercising his legitimate right to freedom of expression. Immediate international action is urgently required.
