clear

Creating new perspectives since 2009

Muslim scholars call on Saudi Arabia, Egypt, UAE to release prisoners of conscience

May 24, 2019 at 11:55 am

Saudi clerics (from left to right) Awad bin Mohammed Al-Qarni, Salman Al-Ouda and Ali Alomary have been arrested by authorities in an apparent crackdown on potential opponents of the conservative kingdom’s absolute rulers [Rabat Service Press Office]

The International Union of Muslim Scholars has called on Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to immediately release all prisoners of conscience.

“We are increasingly concerned over media reports claiming that verdicts will soon be issued or may have been issued against three prominent moderate scholars namely Salman Al-Ouda, Awad Al-Qarni and Ali Al-Omari which Saudi Arabia did not deny,” the statement said, describing the planned execution as “a great crime”.

It went on to call on the world to “make every effort to prevent the execution of the oppressed” and to carry out peaceful protests outside embassies, the United Nations and influential parties to stop such executions.

Earlier this week, Middle East Eye cited two government sources and one of the men’s relatives as saying that Al-Ouda, Al-Qarni and Al-Omari, who are being held on multiple charges of “terrorism”, will be sentenced to death and executed shortly after Ramadan.

READ: Loujain Al-Hathloul threatened with rape, electrocuted in Saudi jail