British Banking Analyst: A British senior business analyst and father of four, who previously worked at Bank of America, has been handed a staggering 10-year prison sentence in Saudi Arabia over a single tweet from 2018. Ahmed al-Doush, 41, received this severe punishment after Saudi authorities labeled a now-deleted post from his modest 37-follower X account as a threat to national security, according to The Times of London. The Saudi government also made an unverified assertion that Ahmed was in contact with a Saudi critic living in exile.
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British Banking Analyst Sentenced 10 years of Prison in Saudi Arabia
His family insists that he never posted anything about Saudi Arabia, but occasionally commented on the political situation in Sudan, which they believe may have triggered his arrest, as reported by the outlet.
British Banker Ahmed Faces Jail
On August 31, 2024, Ahmed al Doush was taken into custody at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh while he was getting ready to fly back to the UK with his wife and three children.
At his request, his family, including his then-pregnant wife, returned to the UK without him, as he was detained at the airport. He was subsequently placed in a maximum-security prison, where he spent 33 days in solitary confinement and remains after being charged on Monday. His family had no communication with him until November, when he made his first court appearance and was permitted a consular visit.
His lawyers argue that his rights to due process and a fair trial were compromised due to solitary confinement, prolonged detention without charges, and interrogations without legal representation. “The fact that it remains unclear which tweet led to the charges, even after his conviction and to the UK government, further highlights the violations of fair trial standards.
The information available suggests that the charges against him, the legal proceedings, and his treatment are in direct violation of international law and human rights norms,” said UK-based lawyer Haydee Dijkstal to the outlet. Mr. Dijkstal also mentioned that Saudi prison officials instructed him not to discuss the hearings or his prison conditions with his family, according to the report.
Ahmed al Doush’s Wife’s Plea
Nour, the wife of Ahmed al Doush, is making a heartfelt plea to the UK government to step up and help secure her husband’s release. She’s calling for more diplomatic efforts, emphasizing just how tough his detention has been on their family. “He missed the birth of our fourth child and our tenth wedding anniversary. How many more important moments will he have to miss before the [UK government agencies] finally take action?”
Nour al-Doush shared with The Times of London. “The nights are the hardest for me. When it’s quiet and I’m alone, I can’t help but wonder why this is happening. It just doesn’t make sense to me—he has no political ties,” she continued. Amnesty International and the Sanad Human Rights Organisation have also raised alarms about his detention, demanding his immediate release and criticizing the lack of transparency surrounding his trial.
In 2021, a Saudi-American dual citizen was handed a sentence of over 19 years in prison by Saudi Arabia due to terrorism-related charges linked to his tweets.
Saad Almadi, who is now 75 years old, was imprisoned for tweets he had shared over the years while living in the U.S. Although he was released in 2023, he is currently prohibited from leaving the country.
During a press conference on Wednesday, Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, was asked if Almadi’s situation had come up during Trump’s visit.
“We certainly engage in meaningful discussions with our U.S. partners on various topics,” Prince Faisal replied, steering clear of directly addressing Almadi’s case. He went on to say that Saudi Arabia “will always, you know, welcome those conversations.”
Amnesty Calls For Action
Sacha Deshmukh, the Chief Executive of Amnesty International UK, stated, “We strongly condemn this sentence and urgently call on the Saudi authorities to release Ahmed al-Doush immediately and unconditionally, especially if he’s being held just for peacefully exercising his human rights.”
“He needs to be allowed to return to his family in the UK without delay. In the meantime, the Saudi authorities must respect his rights to a fair trial, share his court documents with him promptly, and ensure he has regular access to his family and legal counsel,” Mr. Deshmukh added.
“We also urge the UK government to take all necessary steps to secure his immediate and unconditional release. We cannot tolerate the arbitrary detention of another British citizen abroad. Immediate and decisive action is crucial.” The UK’s Foreign Office commented to The Times, “We are supporting a British man detained in Saudi Arabia and are in touch with his family and local authorities.”
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