Saudi preacher Musa Al-Qarni transferred to the mental hospital

Saudi preacher Musa Al-Qarni, a professor of Islamic jurisprudence and former director of the Islamic University of Science and Technology, had a stroke in prison and has been moved to a psychiatric hospital as a result of negligence in prison, online activists have said.

The Twitter account M3takl (detained), which focuses on the plight of Saudi prisoners, wrote: “Urgent news. It is confirmed that prisoner Dr. Musa Al-Qarni is suffering from a stroke that caused him to lose control of his mind because of the health negligence in prison.”

“Dr Musa Al-Qarni unjustifiably attacked the prisoner who shared a cell with him several times. He was then transferred to solitary confinement and after more strange behaviour, it was revealed that he had suffered a stroke and he has been moved to a mental hospital. Isn’t this a big crime?” the activists added.

Al-Qarni’s treatment, they continued, is similar to that of Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Wahibi two years ago, adding that “violations continue in and outside prisons”.

Read: Saudi arrests another prominent human rights activist

It pointed out that “the deliberate health negligence that caused the brain damage to Al-Qurani, brings to mind what had previously happened with two years ago, where the same thing happened… Indeed, violations continue inside and outside the prisons.”

Sixty-four-year-old Al-Qarni was handed a 20-year jail term in 2011 in addition to a ban on travel for 20 years following his release after he was found guilty of being part of a secret organisation which aimed to spread unrest in the country in an effort to ascend to power.