Latest news with #Al-Doush
Hindustan Times
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Who is Ahmed al-Doush? Bank of America analyst gets 10-year prison Sentence in Saudi; here's why
Ahmed al-Doush, a father of four and senior business analyst at Bank of America, reportedly received a 10-year prison sentence in Saudi Arabia over a single, seven-year-old tweet. According to the Times of London, the Saudi authorities declared a 2018 post on al-Doush's Twitter account a threat to national security, resulting in the severe punishment to the 41-year-old British national. Speaking to the outlet, his wife Nour al-Doush said that her husband missed their 10-year wedding anniversary and the birth of their fourth child. 'How many more family milestones will he have to miss before the [UK government agencies] sit up and take action?' she asked. The Mirror cited a second unproven Saudi government claim that al-Doush was in touch with a Saudi critic who was living in exile and whom his family believed was the father of one of his associates. The Sudanese father was initially detained by the officers in August of last year at the King Khalid airport. They did not disclose any charges or the reason behind his detention to him or his then-pregnant wife, as per reports. The family then returned to Manchester, but al-Doush was detained after being charged on Monday and then imprisoned in a maximum-security facility, according to the Times. Also Read: Trump asks Saudi Crown Prince MBS 'How Do You Sleep at Night?' in bizarre speech, takes dig at Tim Cook Al-Doush's attorneys contend that the protracted imprisonment without charge, the solitary confinement, and the questioning without a lawyer available were flagrant violations of his right to proper representation and a fair trial. 'The fact that it is still unclear what tweet forms the basis of the charge, even after conviction and even to the UK government, further demonstrates the fair trial violations,' Haydee Dijkstal, a lawyer based in the UK, told Times. The attorney further said Saudi prison officials told al-Doush not to discuss the proceedings or his incarceration circumstances with his family. The Times stated that the United Kingdom's Foreign Office has received an urgent request for intervention while it has not yet met with the al-Doush family. Al-Doush never tweeted against Saudi Arabia, claimed his family, adding that he used to occasionally post about the political climate in his home country of Sudan, which they believe led to his detention. British Foreign Minister David Lammy reportedly spoke with Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah of Saudi Arabia about the situation, but Al-Doush's supporters say the steps are insufficient.
Time of India
13-05-2025
- Time of India
Father of four jailed for 10 years over one deleted tweet, despite having just 37 followers
What began as a simple family getaway for Ahmed al-Doush has turned into a surreal and harrowing saga. The 52-year-old British national, a senior business analyst at Bank of America and father of four, was arrested last August at Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport as he prepared to fly back to the UK. His alleged crime? A single tweet, now deleted, posted seven years ago to an audience of just 37 followers. According to a report from Unilad , Al-Doush had been in Saudi Arabia on a family vacation and was on his way home via Turkey when he was stopped by airport security. His wife, Amaher Nour, recalls the confusion and fear of that moment. 'The authorities asked for his documents and we thought it was just a problem with his visa,' she said. 'He called me from security and told me to fly with the children on to Turkey, our transit stop, and said, 'I'll be with you shortly.'' But he never rejoined them. Silence, Then a Shocking Sentence For two long months, the family heard nothing. No calls, no legal updates, no clarity. When contact was finally re-established, it was sparse and tightly controlled. It would be months before Amnesty International confirmed that charges were being drawn—allegedly for 'spreading fake, untrue and damaging news on social media.' According to his family, the accusation relates to a 2018 tweet about the situation in Sudan, a post that mentioned nothing about Saudi Arabia and was later deleted. Another charge—his supposed connection to a Saudi critic in exile—was equally bewildering to the family. Al-Doush, they claim, only knows the critic's son and has no political affiliations. You Might Also Like: Texas man facing 99-year prison sentence rescued by mother's casual selfie Then came the blow. A Saudi court sentenced him to ten years in prison. A state-appointed lawyer informed Amaher of the ruling but could not even specify the offense her husband was convicted of. The family has been left reeling. — AmnestyUK (@AmnestyUK) "It's Not Rational in Any Way" Amaher is now back in the UK with their children, tormented by a situation that defies reason. 'The night times are the hardest for me when I'm alone and it's quiet,' she said. 'I keep asking myself why, why, why has this happened, and I can't get to the bottom of it because it's not rational in any way. He has no political associations.' The ordeal has ignited calls for intervention from human rights organisations and the UK government. Amnesty International has condemned the sentencing and demanded al-Doush's immediate and unconditional release. 'If he is being held solely for peacefully exercising his human rights, he must be allowed to return to his family in the UK without delay,' said Sacha Deshmukh, Chief Executive of Amnesty International UK. 'The arbitrary detention of another British national abroad cannot be tolerated. Immediate and decisive action is essential.' — patrickwintour (@patrickwintour) A Cautionary Tale for the Digital Age Ahmed al-Doush's case highlights the perils of digital expression in an increasingly monitored world. A single tweet—long forgotten, unseen by most—now looms over his life with a decade-long shadow. His family continues to hope for justice, urging the UK government to step in and bring him home. You Might Also Like: Donald Trump's Russian spy connection: Social media explodes with 'evidence' about #Krasnov. Is it just another wild conspiracy theory? In an era where posts can be weaponized and silence doesn't guarantee safety, al-Doush's story is a chilling reminder: sometimes, even a whisper online can echo through the iron bars of a prison cell.
