Saudi authorities have released Sheikh Saleh Al-Talib, the former Imam and Khatib of Al-Masjid al-Haram, after more than seven years behind bars.
The advocacy group Prisoners of Conscience, which tracks the detention of clerics and scholars in the Kingdom, confirmed his release in a statement on X. However, the group noted that Sheikh Al-Talib remains under house arrest and is required to wear an electronic ankle monitor.
Sheikh Al-Talib was taken into custody in August 2018 after delivering a sermon stressing the duty of Muslims to speak out against wrongdoing. His remarks led to his arrest. Authorities never announced any official charges.
In 2022, the Specialized Criminal Appeals Court in Riyadh sentenced him to 10 years in prison, overturning an earlier acquittal. News of his release has drawn wide attention online, where he maintains a large following due to his Quran recitations and sermons.
Before his imprisonment, Sheikh Al-Talib also served as a judge in Makkah, Riyadh, and other Saudi regions. Born on January 23, 1974, he comes from the Huwtat Bani Taimi family of Hawtat Bani Tamim, a lineage known for producing Islamic scholars and judges.
His release follows the earlier freeing of teacher Asaad bin Nasser Al-Ghamdi, who had been held for more than two years over posts shared on social media.
Since Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman assumed leadership in 2017, Saudi authorities have intensified their crackdown on dissent, with clerics, academics, activists, and even members of the royal family facing arrests and lengthy prison sentences.
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