“Hard Luck”: Deleted Tweet Lands Father Of Four In Prison For 10 Years

A British national and father of four has been sentenced to 10 years in a Saudi Arabian prison following his arrest last year, reportedly over a deleted tweet and alleged association with a Saudi dissident’s son.

Ahmed al-Doush, a Manchester-based senior business analyst at Bank of America, was arrested on August 31, 2024, at a Riyadh airport while attempting to return to the UK with his family. 

Their family vacation ended with them being separated by Saudi security officers, with al-Doush being arrested, and his pregnant wife and three children resuming their flight.

The case has raised international concern over due process, freedom of expression, and the treatment of foreign nationals in the Middle-Eastern country. Despite al-Doush nearing one year in prison, no information has been given in regards to his trial.

A British father of four has been sentenced to a decade in a Saudi Arabian jail in a controversial case

Image credits: Ahmed Ali Al-Doush

According to reports, al-Doush has not been permitted to appoint a Saudi lawyer of his choice and has faced significant restrictions on communication with his family and legal representatives.

His court proceedings have taken place behind closed doors. Last Monday (May 12), a state-appointed lawyer informed his wife that he had been convicted, but was not authorized to disclose the offence for which he was found guilty.

Image credits: Marten Bjork/Unsplash (Not the actual photo)

The UK government has stated that it is providing consular assistance but has recognized that its hands are effectively tied due to international laws forbidding countries from interfering in one another’s legal processes and internal affairs.

The government made its stance clear in an April letter, which said they were bound to respect Saudi Arabia’s “systems,” and that they could not get “British nationals out of jail.”

Image credits: Ahmed Ali Al-Doush

Amnesty International and other human rights groups have condemned al-Doush’s treatment, with Sacha Deshmukh, the organization’s UK Chief Executive, describing the case as an example of arbitrary detention and a violation of freedom of speech.

“This sentence appears completely disproportionate and deeply unjust,” Deshmukh said. “He must be allowed to return to his family in the UK without delay.”

Al-Doush’s family was separated from him and remains in the dark about the reasons for his detention

Image credits: Ahmed Al-Doush

Al-Doush’s wife, Amaher Nour, continues to campaign for his release, arguing that her husband had no controversial political connections. 

“The night times are the hardest for me when I’m alone and it’s quiet,” she said in an interview with The Mirror.

“I keep asking myself why this has happened, and I can’t get to the bottom of it because it’s not rational in any way. He has no political associations.”

Image credits: m3takl

The now-sentenced Briton reportedly had only 37 followers on his X account before his arrest and is believed to have been charged in relation to a 2018 tweet about the conflict in Sudan.

According to al-Doush’s wife, the tweet did not mention Saudi Arabia and was supposedly deleted years ago.

Image credits: Ahmed Ali Al-Doush

Regarding the second charge, al-Doush is being accused of having a personal connection with the son of a Saudi dissident, but his family insists that the relationship never involved political discussion.

The complexity of the case highlighted the limits of international law and foreign intervention

Image credits: Ahmed Ali Al-Doush

For many observers, the case has revealed a flaw in the way international law is conducted. Motivated by the horrors of World War II and the Cold War, current legislation employs several measures to ensure the sovereignty of countries is preserved under a principle called “non-interference in domestic affairs.”

This principle is contained in Article nº2 of the United Nations Charter, and protects each state’s equal right to conduct its affairs without external interference.

For this reason, the UK Government is limited in the aid it can offer al-Doush, with its consulate having few tools, such as providing legal guidance and economic assistance, to help him in his case.

Image credits: Ahmed Ali Al-Doush

Haydee Dijkstal, an international human rights barrister representing al-Doush, has yet to receive clear information about the charges or trial proceedings, which violate the right to be informed of charges and a fair and transparent process.

“It is still not clear whether the tweet allegedly supports the charge against him,” she said.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy held a phone call with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah last Saturday (May 11), but it remains unclear whether they discussed al-Doush’s case.

“Scary.” Netizens sympathized with al-Doush’s family and wished for his safe return

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