British citizen and financial analyst Ahmed Al-Doush has been detained in Saudi Arabia for over seven months due to a tweet he deleted six years ago and a personal friendship with the son of a Saudi dissident. Below is a detailed timeline of his case:
🟥 Arrest
• On 31 August 2024, Ahmed Al-Doush was arrested at Riyadh International Airport while departing the country with his wife and children after visiting extended family in Saudi Arabia.
🟥 Detention and Legal Violations
• From the time of his arrest until December 2024, he was held for four months without any formal charges.
• His UK-based legal team has not been granted access to any documents or official details related to his case or trial proceedings.
• In January 2025, a secret trial began before the Specialised Criminal Court, based on charges linked to a deleted tweet about Sudan and an alleged personal connection to the son of a Saudi dissident.
🟥 Family and Humanitarian Concerns
• In December 2024, while he remained in detention, his wife gave birth to their fourth child.
• In January 2025, his family went public with the case after months of being forced into silence.
• He was initially denied any form of contact with his family. Following public pressure, he is now permitted one phone call per week with his wife.
🟥 UK Government’s Response
• Early in the case, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office stated it was supporting Al-Doush’s family and maintaining contact with Saudi authorities, but refused to share information with his family, citing data protection laws.
• After several months of detention, British diplomats were finally granted access to visit him in custody.
• His family is now requesting a meeting with the UK Foreign Secretary and calling for firm and decisive action to protect his rights as a British citizen. So far, the government’s response has remained disappointingly passive.
🟥 Legal Status
A verdict in his case is expected in April 2025.