Dr. Osama Al-Hasani was arrested on February 8th, 4 hours after landing at Casablanca's international airport where he intended to visit his newborn child in Morocco, according to his wife’s interview with SBS News.
Dr. Al-Hasani, who holds both Australian and Saudi citizenships, is facing the danger of being deported to Saudi Arabia; as his wife fears that he will end up having the same destiny that Jamal Khashoggi had.
? BREAKING 1
— Prisoners of Conscience (@m3takl_en) March 1, 2021
Wife of Dr. Osama Al-Hasani: "My husband is currently being pressured to sign a document allowing him to be handed over to #Saudi authorities without trial. He lives now on bread and water".#لاترحلوا_اسامة_الحسني#DontdeportOsamaAlHasanihttps://t.co/rQo9lbhnF7
Human rights activists have urged the Moroccan government not to send him back to Saudi Arabia using the Arabic and the English hashtags “#لاترحلوا_اسامة_الحسني and #DontDeportOsamaAlHasani.” Others have called on international organizations to interfere in releasing him from prison.
? We call upon Moroccan government @MarocDiplomatie to work on the release of Dr. Osama Al-Hasani, and not deport him to KSA, because deportation will cause a real threat on his life.#لاترحلوا_اسامة_الحسني pic.twitter.com/4nIHJwojCr
— Prisoners of Conscience (@m3takl_en) February 27, 2021
Moreover, a petition was created to stop the deportation of Osama Al-Hasani by Moroccan authorities to Saudi Arabia, adding that his life is threatened if he goes back to Jeddah because he is involved in activism and works with rights groups.
#لاترحلوا_اسامة_الحسني
— VENÜS.YÜRI (@venus8yuri) March 1, 2021
I made a petition to stop the deportation of Australian citizen Usama al-hasani by moroccan authorities to Saudi Arabia as it represents a threat to his life, please share it and sign it. https://t.co/iSLYjyqU2Z
The foreign affairs department in Australia announced to reporters earlier this week that it was providing consular assistance to an Australian national in Morocco, but without revealing his identity.
Nevertheless, Dr Osama Al-Hasani is set to face Moroccan court on March 3rd, then he is likely to be sent back to Saudi Arabia, “where the real danger lies," Prisoners of Conscience tweeted.
arrest of Saudi academic Dr.Osama Al-Hassani, who holds Australian citizenship, by the Moroccan authorities and will be deported to #SaudiArabia #DontdeportOsamaAlHasani#لاترحلوا_اسامة_الحسني@AJABreaking @cnnbrk @SkyNews @thetimes @AJEnglish @ghadaoueiss @Benguennak https://t.co/22fhcfWTRk
— د.آسيا (@dr_asia_) March 1, 2021
Hasani, who has been using the Australian passport to move, is well known for being a businessman, consultant and an ex-academic at Jeddah's King Abdulaziz University, and a Quran reciter.
His YouTube videos, under the name Osama Al-Mahruqi, show him reciting Quran and delivering religious lectures outside of Saudi Arabia with non-Salafist Sunni groups.
