Rights group says Saudi prosecutors sought death penalty for preacher Abdul Aziz al-Tarifi

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.

ALQST raised al-Tarifi’s case in the context of concerns about capital punishment and the prosecution of religious figures and government critics in Saudi Arabia.

The organization also cited the case of Saudi journalist Turki al-Jasser, whose execution was announced by Saudi authorities after years in detention. Saudi authorities said al-Jasser had been convicted of offenses including treason, espionage and financing terrorism, while rights organizations criticized the secrecy surrounding his case and linked his prosecution to his journalism and online activity.

ALQST also highlighted the continuing cases of prominent Saudi religious figures Salman al-Awda and Hassan Farhan al-Maliki, saying prosecutors have sought death sentences against them.

According to the organization, prosecutors have also previously sought capital punishment for preachers Awad al-Qarni and Ali al-Omari.