Saudi Arabia has released Sheikh Saleh Al-Talib, the former Imam and Khatib of Al-Masjid al-Haram, after more than seven years in detention.
The rights group Prisoners of Conscience, which monitors the arrest of clerics and scholars in the Kingdom, confirmed his release through a post on X.
However, it added that Sheikh Al-Talib remains under house arrest and has been fitted with an electronic ankle monitor.
He was arrested in August 2018 after a sermon in which he urged Muslims to speak out against wrongdoing.
No official charges were ever announced, but in 2022, the Specialized Criminal Appeals Court in Riyadh handed him a 10-year sentence, overturning his earlier acquittal.
Sheikh Al-Talib, widely followed for his Quran recitations and sermons, had also served as a judge in Makkah, Riyadh, and other regions.
Born on January 23, 1974, he belongs to the Huwtat Bani Taimi family of Hawtat Bani Tamim, known for producing respected scholars and judges.
His release comes shortly after that of teacher Asaad bin Nasser Al-Ghamdi, who spent over two years in prison for his social media posts.
Since Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman rose to power in 2017, Saudi authorities have intensified their clampdown on dissent, targeting clerics, academics, activists, and even members of the royal family with arrests and long prison terms.