The Saudi Regime’s Weaponization of Justice: Seven Years of Unlawful Imprisonment for Masjid al-Haram Imam Sheikh Saleh Al-Talib

Together for Justice strongly condemns the ongoing imprisonment of Sheikh Dr. Saleh bin Mohammed Al-Talib, former Imam and preacher at the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, who has now spent seven years behind bars simply for exercising his right to free speech and standing against normalization with the Israeli occupation.

Sheikh Al-Talib was arrested in August 2018, shortly after delivering a sermon from Islam’s most sacred pulpit. In it, he emphasized the duty of enjoining good and forbidding evil and called on Arab nations to reject the normalization of ties with Israel. He warned against abandoning Islamic and Arab values, defended the sanctity of Jerusalem and Palestine, and spoke out against political projects that undermine the unity and dignity of the Muslim world.

His words, grounded in faith and principle, were met with brutal repression. Rather than addressing the substance of his message, the Saudi regime responded by arresting him without any clear charges or legal justification, silencing one of the most respected voices of religious authority in the Kingdom.

For years, his fate remained shrouded in secrecy. He was denied access to legal representation, barred from communicating with the outside world, and subjected to opaque judicial processes. In a rare court appearance, Sheikh Al-Talib was initially acquitted by the Specialized Criminal Court, which found no evidence against him.

However, true justice has no place under the Saudi regime’s politicized judiciary. In August 2022, under clear political pressure, the Court of Appeal overturned the acquittal and sentenced Sheikh Al-Talib to ten years in prison following secret proceedings devoid of transparency or due process.

Sheikh Al-Talib’s history as a senior judge and a distinguished religious scholar meant little to a regime intent on silencing any voice that challenges its policies. His arrest and conviction highlight the Saudi government’s broader strategy: punishing scholars, preachers, and intellectuals who dare to express independent thought, especially those who reject normalization and defend Palestinian rights.

In his final sermon before his arrest, Sheikh Al-Talib warned of the deep fractures that normalization would cause — not only politically but morally, spiritually, and socially. He cautioned that surrendering Jerusalem would ignite strife, bloodshed, and the erosion of humanity’s collective conscience.

Today, he remains imprisoned, isolated, and cut off from the world, paying the price for his courage and integrity.

Together for Justice asserts that the continued detention of Sheikh Saleh Al-Talib constitutes:

• A blatant violation of international standards on freedom of expression.
• A gross miscarriage of justice, denying him a fair trial and legal protections.
• Yet another example of how the Saudi regime weaponizes its judiciary to suppress dissent.

We call on the international community to:

• Apply real and sustained pressure on the Saudi regime to secure Sheikh Al-Talib’s immediate and unconditional release.
• Publicly denounce the political use of courts to persecute religious leaders and dissidents.
• Suspend political and diplomatic normalization with the Saudi government until it demonstrates genuine respect for human rights and the rule of law.

The continued imprisonment of Sheikh Saleh Al-Talib — and the silence surrounding his plight — exposes the hypocrisy of those who claim to champion justice while enabling tyranny. There can be no true peace, dignity, or reform while courageous voices like his remain silenced behind prison walls.