He rose to prominence during the protests of 2012 and 2013 against the Shia-led government of then-Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.He was arrested in December 2013 during a security raid on his home in Ramadi, during which his brother and several others were killed.Al-Alwani was sentenced to death in 2014 on “terrorism” charges, but was released in April 2025 under Iraq’s General Amnesty Law after more than a decade in detention.Following his release, Al-Alwani returned to public life, frequently meeting political figures, including Iraqi-Kurdish leaders in Erbil up until late last year.