ALQST for Human Rights-Political Prisoners

Personal information

Sex: Male
Area of activity: Cleric
Place of residence: Addayer Bani Malik

Islamic scholar Hassan al-Maliki fell foul of the Saudi authorities because of his religious views, which include rejection of takfir (the Salafi practice of accusing fellow Muslims of apostasy) as well as criticisms of sectarianism and the kingdom’s Wahhabi brand of Islam. His trial has been stalled since October 2022.

Arrest and jail information

Prison: Al-Ha’ir Prison, Riyadh
Date of arrest: 11 September 2017

Trial information

Charges: Two charges relate to his peaceful expression of his religious opinions about certain sayings of the prophet and his criticism of several seventh century Islamic figures. Other charges include insulting the country’s rulers and the Supreme Council of Religious Scholars, describing them as extremist, accusing Gulf countries of supporting ISIS, praising Hezbollah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah, having sympathy for the Houthi group in Yemen, expressing his religious views in television interviews, attending discussion groups in Saudi Arabia, writing books and studies and publishing them outside of Saudi Arabia, possession of banned books, defaming a Kuwaiti man by accusing him on Twitter of supporting ISIS, violating the country’s cybercrime law, and lack of commitment to good citizenship.
Court: Specialised Criminal Court (SCC)

Violations

Arbitrary arrest/ detention ,
Denied access to a lawyer ,
Observers denied access to court hearings

Timeline

08 March 2020 - In his first time to attend a court trial since recieving his charges in September 2018, he made his first response to these charges. His next trial was scheduled to take place on 05 April 2020.
02 February 2020 - His trial was scheduled to take place, but was postponed to 08 March 2020.
16 December 2019 - His trial was scheduled to take place, but was postponed to 02 February 2019. Thus, he was deprived of the right to attend court trial and respond to the charges for a year and a half.
16 October 2019 - His trial, which was thought to be the sentencing hearing as the Public Prosecutor kept calling for death sentences to be passed against him, was scheduled to take place, but was postponed to 16 December 2019, although he did not attend any court trial since recieving his charges.
September 2018 - He attended a trial session, only his third court appearance since he received the charges against him.
11 September 2017 - Al-Maliki was arrested without warrant during a round-up of dozens of academics, journalists, human rights activists and others critical of the regime. He was not properly informed of the charges against him, and was denied access to legal counsel.