Prominent Saudi Scholar Detained Without Trial for Years, UN Experts Urge Immediate Action
In a shocking revelation, independent experts working with the United Nations have called for the immediate trial or release of Safar bin Abdulrahman al-Hawali, a radical Sunni scholar who has been held in arbitrary detention by the Saudi government since 2018. Al-Hawali, a vocal critic of the Saudi regime and the West, was a key figure behind the Sahwa, or “Awakening” movement in the kingdom, advocating for strict adherence to hard-line Wahhabi beliefs and criticizing the royal Saud family.
The UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities highlighted al-Hawali’s deteriorating health, citing the effects of strokes he suffered in 2005 and 2006, which have left him unable to speak or care for himself. The committee’s report described his medical condition as dire, with chronic apraxia of speech, a broken pelvis, and renal failure requiring constant medical attention.
Al-Hawali, now in his mid-70s, gained notoriety when he was specifically mentioned by Osama bin Laden in his 1996 declaration of war on the United States. His preachings against the American presence in Saudi Arabia and his calls to limit the powers of the royal family have long been a thorn in the side of the Saudi authorities.
Despite Saudi officials claiming that al-Hawali receives adequate medical care and enjoys his legal rights, the UN experts have raised concerns about his prolonged detention without trial. The case has sparked international outcry, with human rights organizations calling for urgent action to address the plight of the ailing scholar.