The family of a British father detained in Saudi Arabia over a single social media post has described their ordeal as a “nightmare,” after he was sentenced to ten years in prison.
Ahmed al-Doush, a father of four, was arrested on 31 August 2024 while on holiday in Saudi Arabia with his family. As they were preparing to fly back to the UK, Saudi authorities stopped him at the airport. He was detained and held without formal charges for months.
According to Amnesty International, Ahmed was later charged with using social media to spread “false and damaging information.” His family believes the case may be linked to a 2018 tweet about the situation in Sudan – a post shared with just 41 followers and later deleted. The tweet reportedly made no reference to Saudi Arabia.
Tragically, Ahmed missed the birth of his fourth child due to his arrest. His wife, Amaher Nour, told Manchester Evening News:
“To the UK Government, Ahmed is just another statistic – but to me and our children, he is everything.
“Hearing that he’s been sentenced to ten years in prison is devastating – especially when we don’t even fully know why.”
She went on to criticise the UK government’s handling of the case:
“The nightmare hasn’t ended. It’s been eight months of silence, confusion, and pain – made worse by the FCDO’s failure to keep us informed. Ahmed was already struggling with back and thyroid problems and his mental health was deteriorating. Now he’s been sentenced, and we don’t know what’s ahead for him.”
“He should be at home with his children, not locked up in an overcrowded cell filled with cigarette smoke.”
Amnesty International has raised serious concerns about the fairness of his trial, reporting that Ahmed was interrogated at length without legal representation and before being informed of his charges. For two months after his arrest, his family had no contact with him and no updates on his wellbeing.
His case was reportedly discussed between UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, but the nature of their conversation was not made public.
In a response to human rights organisation Reprieve, the UK Foreign Office stated on April 2:
“The UK government cannot interfere in another country’s legal processes and must respect their systems, nor can we get British nationals out of jail.”
Ahmed’s family continues to appeal for diplomatic support and justice.
