Police in Saudi Arabia have briefly detained the brother of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, who’s facing a death sentence in the kingdom.

Police in Saudi Arabia have briefly detained the brother of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, who’s facing a death sentence in the kingdom.

Family members say they don't know why police detained Mohammed al-Nimr Tuesday in eastern Saudi Arabia. Reprieve, a United Kingdom-based advocacy group, also reported al-Nimr's brief detention. He has been released.

His brother, Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, is a revered figure in Saudi Arabia and was sentenced to death for speaking out against wrongful policies and corruption of the Saudi government.

Ali Mohammed al-Nimr, who is the son of Mohammed al-Nimr, is one of three young activists sentenced to death for taking part in protests before age 18. Rights groups have called for the sentences to be commuted.