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
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
British banking analyst jailed in Saudi Arabia for 10 years over 'unknown tweet'
Ahmed al-Doush with his children A British Bank of America analyst has been sentenced to a decade in a Saudi Arabian prison apparently over a since-deleted social media post, according to his lawyer. The family of Ahmed al-Doush, 41, believes the charges against him stemmed from a deleted 2018 tweet about Sudan that did not mention Saudi Arabia and his relationship with the son of a Saudi critic in exile, Amnesty International said in a statement Tuesday. The father-of-four was sentenced Monday after being accused of violating terrorism and anti-cyber crime laws. "The exact tweet is unknown," Haydee Dijkstal, al-Doush's international counsel, posted Tuesday on X. "His trial and detention involved fair trial and due process violations." The lawyer said the U.K. government "should stand firmly against a British national's imprisonment for allegedly exercising his free speech rights." The Saudi Arabian government did not respond to requests for comment. "We are supporting a British man who is detained in Saudi Arabia and are in contact with his family and local authorities," a spokesperson for the Foreign Office in London said in a statement. Al-Doush, a British national, was arrested in August 2024 at a Riyadh airport while trying to travel to Manchester, England, with his family. His wife has since given birth to their fourth child. "I rarely speak to my husband, but in the few snatched conversations we have managed, it is clear that Ahmed is struggling," al-Doush's wife, Amaher Nour, said ahead of her husband's sentencing, citing his thyroid problems and distress after nine months of detention. The developments came while US President Donald Trump was in Saudi Arabia, where several dual nationals with Western ties and Saudis have been detained in recent years over social media posts that could be viewed as critical to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the country's de facto ruler.
14-05-2025
- Politics
British banker sentenced to a decade in Saudi prison, apparently over a tweet
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- A British Bank of America analyst has been sentenced to a decade in a Saudi Arabian prison apparently over a since-deleted social media post, according to his lawyer. The family of Ahmed al-Doush believes the charges against him stemmed from a deleted 2018 tweet about Sudan that did not mention Saudi Arabia and his relationship with the son of a Saudi critic in exile, Amnesty International said in a statement Tuesday. Saudi Arabia's press office and the United Kingdom's Foreign Office didn't respond to requests for comment. He was sentenced Monday after being accused of violating terrorism and anti-cyber crime laws. 'The exact tweet is unknown,' Haydee Dijkstal, al-Doush's international counsel, posted Tuesday on X, the platform formerly called Twitter. 'His trial and detention involved fair trial & due process violations. The UK Gov should stand firmly against a British national's imprisonment for allegedly exercising his free speech rights.' The 41-year-old British national was arrested in August at a Riyadh airport while trying to travel to Manchester, England, with his family. His wife has since given birth to their fourth child. 'I rarely speak to my husband, but in the few snatched conversations we have managed, it is clear that Ahmed is struggling,' al-Doush's wife, Amaher Nour, said ahead of her husband's sentencing, citing his thyroid problems and distress after nine months of being jailed. The developments came while U.S. President Donald Trump was in Saudi Arabia, where several dual nationals with Western ties and Saudis have been detained in recent years over social media posts that could be viewed as critical to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the country's de facto ruler.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
British banking analyst sentenced to a decade in Saudi prison, apparently over a tweet
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A British Bank of America analyst has been sentenced to a decade in a Saudi Arabian prison apparently over a since-deleted social media post, according to his lawyer. The family of Ahmed al-Doush believes the charges against him stemmed from a deleted 2018 tweet about Sudan that did not mention Saudi Arabia and his relationship with the son of a Saudi critic in exile, Amnesty International said in a statement Tuesday. Saudi Arabia's press office and the United Kingdom's Foreign Office didn't respond to requests for comment. He was sentenced Monday after being accused of violating terrorism and anti-cyber crime laws. 'The exact tweet is unknown,' Haydee Dijkstal, al-Doush's international counsel, posted Tuesday on X, the platform formerly called Twitter. 'His trial and detention involved fair trial & due process violations. The UK Gov should stand firmly against a British national's imprisonment for allegedly exercising his free speech rights.' The 41-year-old British national was arrested in August at a Riyadh airport while trying to travel to Manchester, England, with his family. His wife has since given birth to their fourth child. 'I rarely speak to my husband, but in the few snatched conversations we have managed, it is clear that Ahmed is struggling,' al-Doush's wife, Amaher Nour, said ahead of her husband's sentencing, citing his thyroid problems and distress after nine months of being jailed. The developments came while U.S. President Donald Trump was in Saudi Arabia, where several dual nationals with Western ties and Saudis have been detained in recent years over social media posts that could be viewed as critical to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the country's de facto ruler.
San Francisco Chronicle
14-05-2025
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
British banking analyst sentenced to a decade in Saudi prison, apparently over a tweet
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A British Bank of America analyst has been sentenced to a decade in a Saudi Arabian prison apparently over a since-deleted social media post, according to his lawyer. The family of Ahmed al-Doush believes the charges against him stemmed from a deleted 2018 tweet about Sudan that did not mention Saudi Arabia and his relationship with the son of a Saudi critic in exile, Amnesty International said in a statement Tuesday. He was sentenced Monday after being accused of violating terrorism and anti-cyber crime laws. 'The exact tweet is unknown,' Haydee Dijkstal, al-Doush's international counsel, posted Tuesday on X, the platform formerly called Twitter. 'His trial and detention involved fair trial & due process violations. The UK Gov should stand firmly against a British national's imprisonment for allegedly exercising his free speech rights.' The 41-year-old British national was arrested in August at a Riyadh airport while trying to travel to Manchester, England, with his family. His wife has since given birth to their fourth child. 'I rarely speak to my husband, but in the few snatched conversations we have managed, it is clear that Ahmed is struggling,' al-Doush's wife, Amaher Nour, said ahead of her husband's sentencing, citing his thyroid problems and distress after nine months of being jailed. The developments came while U.S. President Donald Trump was in Saudi Arabia, where several dual nationals with Western ties and Saudis have been detained in recent years over social media posts that could be viewed as critical to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the country's de facto ruler.
