Saudi prosecutors have sought the death penalty for prominent preacher and hadith scholar Abdul Aziz al-Tarifi, who has been detained for more than a decade, according to the Saudi human rights organization ALQST.
ALQST expressed concern over al-Tarifi’s case on Wednesday, saying the 50-year-old cleric remains imprisoned at al-Ha’ir Prison in Riyadh and is currently being held in solitary confinement.
The organization said, however, that it lacks sufficient information about the latest judicial proceedings and could not confirm whether prosecutors are still actively seeking his execution.
Saudi authorities have not publicly confirmed or denied ALQST’s account regarding the prosecution’s request for the death penalty.
Al-Tarifi was arrested in April 2016. According to ALQST, his detention followed social media posts criticizing the Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya television network and some government policies. His arrest preceded a broader crackdown in which numerous Saudi religious figures were detained.
