Amnesty International has spoken out after a British national is facing a brutal jail sentence over a tweet he posted years ago.
Manchester-based Ahmed al-Doush was arrested in Saudi Arabia last August while trying to catch a flight back to the UK. The senior business analyst with Bank of America had been on a family vacation and was at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh when he was stopped by security.
Now, the father of four is reportedly facing a 10-year jail sentence after a deleted tweet from his social media account landed him in legal trouble.
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According to al-Doush's family, the now-deleted tweet in question was posted in 2018 regarding the situation in Sudan, with no mention of Saudi Arabia. He’s also accused of associating with a Saudi critic in exile - a claim his family denies, saying he only knows the man’s son.
In response to Saudi authorities, Amnesty International UK has issued a statement 'condemning' the sentence.
“We strongly condemn this sentence and reiterate our urgent call on the Saudi authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Ahmed al-Doush, if he is being held solely for peacefully exercising his human rights," said Sacha Deshmukh, Chief Executive of Amnesty International UK. "He must be allowed to return to his family in the UK without delay. In the meantime, Saudi authorities must uphold his fair trial rights, promptly share his court documents with him and guarantee regular access to both his family and legal counsel."
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He added: "We also urge the UK government to take all necessary steps to secure his immediate and unconditional release. The arbitrary detention of another British national abroad cannot be tolerated. Immediate and decisive action is essential.”
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch (HRW) have documented Saudi Arabia's increasing crackdown on freedom of expression, targeting both citizens and foreigners.
HRW reported that between December 2024 and February 2025, Saudi authorities released at least 44 prisoners.
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“The release of dozens of prisoners is a positive development, but the Saudi government should free everyone else who has been arbitrarily detained,” explained Joey Shea, Saudi Arabia researcher at Human Rights Watch. “This positive gesture is not a substitute for ending oppressive policies in the country.”
Released prisoners still face 'travel bans' and ankle monitors, while others remain detained for 'not recognizable crimes in international law' and continue to face 'systematic violations of due process and fair trial rights.'
The HRW wrote on its official website: "The Saudi government should end its wholesale repression of freedom of association, expression, and belief."
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