Together for Justice strongly condemns the death of Sheikh Dr. Qasim Al-Qathrdi, who passed away in Abha’s General Investigation Prison after years of arbitrary detention and systematic medical neglect. His case represents yet another instance of state-sponsored abuse targeting peaceful religious figures and academics in Saudi Arabia.
Sheikh Al-Qathrdi was arrested solely for attending a licensed intellectual gathering in 2013, hosted at the home of detained scholar Dr. Awad Al-Qarni, with former Dean of Sharia at Imam University, Dr. Saud Al-Funaisan, as a guest. Despite the peaceful nature of this gathering, he was charged and later sentenced to eight years in prison.
The court judgment against Sheikh Al-Qathrdi cited as evidence the mere possession of books in his personal library—most notably “So That There Will Be No Discord” by the late Saudi minister and diplomat Ghazi Al-Gosaibi. Such charges illustrate the disturbing extent to which Saudi authorities criminalize thought, scholarship, and association, in clear violation of international legal standards.
Throughout his detention, Sheikh Al-Qathrdi was denied adequate medical care despite ongoing health concerns. His death is not an isolated incident but part of a pattern of deliberate medical neglect in Saudi prisons. This same policy of abuse led to the death of prominent reformist Dr. Abdullah Al-Hamid in 2020. Today, the lives of other detainees—such as Dr. Saud Al-Hashimi and Sheikh Salman Al-Ouda—remain at serious risk under similarly harsh conditions.
We extend our deepest condolences to the family, students, and supporters of Sheikh Qasim Al-Qathrdi, and affirm that his legacy and suffering will not be forgotten. His imprisonment and death constitute a grave human rights violation and a breach of the Kingdom’s obligations under international law.
Together for Justice holds the Saudi regime fully responsible for Sheikh Al-Qathrdi’s death and reiterates the urgent need for:
- An independent international investigation into his death and other cases of fatal medical neglect inside Saudi prisons.
- The immediate release of all prisoners of conscience, especially those at heightened risk due to age, illness, or prolonged solitary confinement.
- An end to all forms of international political, economic, or diplomatic normalization with a regime that continues to violate fundamental rights with impunity.
The silence of the international community enables further abuse. Accountability cannot be delayed. Sheikh Al-Qathrdi’s death must serve as a turning point in the international response to Saudi Arabia’s ongoing human rights crisis.