Ahmed Al-Doush Marks Second Year in Detention… Sanad Calls for His Immediate Release

Today, August 31, 2025, marks one year since the arrest of British citizen Ahmed Ali Al-Doush (42) in Saudi Arabia. He was detained at Riyadh Airport while attempting to leave the country after a short family visit, taken from passport control without a warrant or explanation, while his wife and children were forced to travel without him.

For more than two months, Saudi authorities denied any knowledge of his whereabouts before it was later revealed that he was held in a Riyadh interrogation center — amounting to enforced disappearance under international law.

During his detention, Al-Doush endured harsh conditions in an overcrowded cell lacking basic hygiene, suffered untreated health issues, and was placed in solitary confinement for extended periods. His rare family calls were heavily monitored, and he was denied the right to appoint a local lawyer.

On May 12, 2025, Saudi courts sentenced him to 10 years in prison after a months-long trial based largely on an old tweet about Sudan and alleged ties to the son of a Saudi dissident abroad — claims he denied and which lacked evidence. His defense team described the case as politically motivated and retaliatory.

The ruling shocked his family and legal team and raised concerns in the UK government, which has been following the case diplomatically. In December 2024, his defense submitted a formal complaint to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD), documenting violations including denial of family contact and the absence of any legal basis for his detention.

His wife, Amhar Noor, gave birth to their fourth child during his imprisonment, yet he has not been allowed to see or even speak with his newborn, deepening the family’s suffering.

As his detention enters its second year, Sanad Human Rights Organization renews its call for his immediate release and fair compensation.