![Saudi professor Dr Abdulaziz Al-Fawzan [m3takl_en/X]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Dr-Abdulaziz-Al-Fawzan.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1)
Saudi authorities yesterday released senior cleric and university professor, Dr Abdulaziz Al-Fawzan after detaining him for seven years.
Al-Fawzan was arrested in 2018 over a Tweet in which he expressed his opinion on the suppression of sheikhs and preachers.
Fawzan is a professor of comparative jurisprudence at the Higher Institute of Comparative Jurisprudence at the Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University.
Saudi authorities have recently released many of those arrested during its crackdown on opposition including media figure Hatem Al-Najjar, a famous podcast host in the kingdom, who was arrested last year for criticising the authorities about ten years ago on X (formerly Twitter).
The Prisoners of Conscience social media account said Saudi authorities have also released about ten activists from the Howeitat tribe who had been arrested in reprisal for their vocal opposition to the NEOM project which will displace them.
Some of those released had already completed their sentences, while others had their terms commuted.
READ: Saudi Arabia’s image makeover includes prisoner releases and power plays