Judge Abdul Aziz bin Safar al-Adhiani Al-Beniusi al-Harthy, Judge at the Specialized Criminal Court in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Judge Abdulaziz bin Safar al-Harthy was born in Taif City in Saudi Arabia. In 2012, al-Harthy obtained a master's degree from Imam Muhammad bin Saud University, according to records in the King Fahad National Library.
In May 2020, al-Harthy obtained a PhD in comparative jurisprudence from the Judicial High Institute, an institute that trains judges in Saudi Arabia.
Al-Harthy has presided over the trial and detention of Muslim scholar and reformer Salman Alodah and others for their peaceful speech and advocacy, which are protected by international law, and for enforcing prima facie unjust laws that criminalize dissent.
He has served on the judicial panel hearing Alodah's case since 2018, and he also judges the cases of many other political detainees at the Specialized Criminal Court in Riyadh.
Al-Harthy is personally responsible for serious due process violations during Alodah's trial. At multiple hearings, al-Harthy did not once allow Alodah's lawyer to speak in court.
Al-Harthy also interrupted Alodah, asking him not to speak and defend himself. At one hearing, in an unprecedented move, al-Harthy and his colleagues proceeded in hearing Alodah's case in his absence, while Alodah remained in his prison cell.
See the case: Salman Alodah
DAWN contacted al-Harthy via the Saudi authorities on December 9, 2020 to request a response, but no response was received by the time of publication.
