Ahmed al-Doush, a 41-year-old British citizen and senior analyst at Bank of America, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison by a Saudi court, reportedly over a now-deleted social media post and his alleged connection to a Saudi dissident. Al-Doush was arrested in August 2024 at Riyadh airport as he attempted to return to Manchester with his pregnant wife and children after a family holiday.
While the exact reason for the sentence remains unclear, his family believes the charges are linked to a 2018 tweet about Sudan and his acquaintance with the son of a Saudi critic living in exile. The tweet reportedly did not mention Saudi Arabia and was deleted years ago. Saudi authorities have accused al-Doush of violating terrorism and cybercrime laws by spreading “fake and damaging news” and having ties to a threat to national security.
Al-Doush's family, human rights groups claim UK violations
Since his arrest, al-Doush has faced multiple due process violations, according to human rights groups. Amnesty International said he was interrogated without a lawyer, denied consular access, and kept in isolation for over two months without contact with his family. His wife, Amaher Nour, has publicly criticized the UK government’s handling of the case, saying, “He should be at home surrounded by his loved ones, not in an overcrowded cell surrounded by second-hand cigarette smoke.”
The sentencing occurred while US President Donald Trump was in Saudi Arabia. In recent years, the kingdom has detained several individuals, including foreign nationals, for online activity perceived as critical of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The UK Foreign Office confirmed it was in contact with al-Doush’s family and Saudi authorities, but critics say it has not done enough.