Jailed over a tweet? British banker faces 10 years in Saudi Arabia prison

British banker Ahmed al-Doush sentenced to prison in Saudi Arabia over a since-deleted 2018 tweet, as rights groups slam trial process and family pleads for UK government intervention

A British banking analyst, Ahmed al-Doush, has been sentenced to ten years in a Saudi Arabian prison, reportedly over a single, since-deleted tweet from 2018. The 41-year-old Bank of America analyst was arrested in August last year at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport while attempting to travel to Manchester, England, with his family. 

The tweet in question reportedly concerned the political situation in Sudan and did not mention Saudi Arabia. Al-Doush’s family and human rights organisations, including Amnesty International, believe the charges are linked not only to this tweet but also to his association with the son of a Saudi dissident living in exile. The family emphasises that Ahmed has no political affiliations and that the tweet was posted to a very small audience — his account had just 37 followers at the time. 

 

He was charged with violating Saudi Arabia’s terrorism and anti-cybercrime laws, though the exact content of the tweet remains unknown. His international lawyer, Haydee Dijkstal, has highlighted serious concerns about the fairness of the trial and due process violations, noting that neither the specific charges nor the evidence have been clearly disclosed. The lawyer urged the UK government to take a strong stance against the imprisonment of a British citizen for exercising free speech rights. 

Al-Doush’s wife, Amaher Nour, has spoken about the emotional and physical toll the imprisonment has taken on her husband, who suffers from thyroid problems and has endured distress during his nine months in detention. She also noted that Ahmed missed the birth of their fourth child and their ten-year wedding anniversary due to his incarceration. 

“I rarely speak to my husband, but in the few snatched conversations we have managed, it is clear that Ahmed is struggling,” she said. 

The sentencing occurred amid a broader context of Saudi Arabia’s crackdown on social media dissent, particularly targeting dual nationals and Saudis with Western ties. Several individuals have been detained in recent years over social media posts perceived as critical of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the country’s de facto ruler. 

The UK Foreign Office has said it is supporting Ahmed al-Doush and remains in contact with his family and local authorities, though critics argue that government efforts have been insufficient. Human rights groups have called for his immediate and unconditional release, condemning the arbitrary detention and the lack of transparency surrounding his case.

 

[With agency inputs]