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.
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.
Ahmed al-Doush's wife speaks out after his arrest
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.
Ahmed al-Doush's lawyers claim fair trial violations
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.
Steps taken by UK govt regarding his arrest
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.
