Additional Name(s): علي بادحدح
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Saudi Arabia
Ethnic Group: Arab
Religion or Belief: Muslim – Sunni
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Appeal: Increased to 9 Years' Imprisonment
Sentence: Originally 6 Years' Imprisonment
Date of Detainment: September/12/2017
Current Status: Not Released
Religious Leader: Yes
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Reason for Persecution: Humanitarian Work & Charitable Activities Religious Figure & Religious Leadership Role
Nature of Charges: Unknown
Ali Badahdah is imprisoned in relation to his religious belief and activity.
On September 12, 2017, security forces arrested Badahdah, an imam and professor of Hadith at King Abdul Aziz University, after raiding his home in Jeddah. His arrest came amid a crackdown of clerics, academics, intellectuals, human rights activists, and women’s rights activists. Two days before his arrest, Badahdah retweeted a quote by medieval Islamic scholar Ibn Taymiyyah.
In October 2020, it was reported that the Specialized Criminal Court sentenced Badahdah to six years in prison. The Prisoners of Conscience Twitter account alleges that Badahdah’s arrest was related to his participation in charity activities. Badahdah had founded charitable societies in Jeddah.
In December 2021, it was reported that an appeals court increased Badahdah’s sentence from six years to nine years in prison.
2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Saudi Arabia U.S. Department of State
Prisoners of Conscience, Tweet, December 4, 2021
Prisoners of Conscience, Tweet, October 14, 2020
“Ali Badahdah” ALQST
“Ali Badahdah” Grant Liberty
“The High Cost of Change: Repression Under Saudi Crown Prince Tarnishes Reforms” Human Rights Watch