‘End this nightmare’: Wife of ailing Briton jailed in Saudi Arabia appeals for release

The UK Foreign Office says his case has been raised with the Saudi authorities.

Its current travel advice warns that it is illegal in Saudi Arabia to say anything publicly that the authorities “deem disruptive to public order”. And it urges visitors to avoid commenting on the royal family, the Saudi authorities, or “issues that could be perceived as political”.

“Speaking publicly about these issues can be defined by the Saudi authorities as posing a threat to national security,” the advice states.

It adds: “Statements made on social media many years ago, or those published outside Saudi Arabia, may be taken into account. Punishment can include long custodial sentences.”

Al-Doush’s legal team in the UK say that neither they, his family, nor the UK government have been allowed to see any of the legal papers related to his case, including the judgment, despite repeated requests. So they don’t fully understand the charges against him or the basis of his conviction.

But his London-based lawyer, Haydee Dijkstal, says he appears to have been questioned over several tweets posted in 2018 – and subsequently deleted – about Sudan, where he was born, and over his acquaintance with the son of a UK-based Saudi dissident.

She says Al-Doush was initially held for five months without charge, and interrogated without a lawyer before being sentenced in May 2025 to 10 years in jail by Saudi Arabia’s Specialised Criminal Court, which is understood to have convicted him of using social media to spread fake news against the government. Human rights groups say the court has been used as a political tool, relying on vague counterterrorism and cybercrime laws to punish online expression.

This April, Al-Doush’s sentence was reduced on appeal to five years. But his physical and mental health are still deteriorating, according to his wife.

Amnesty International says he is being held in a cell built for six to eight people, currently housing around 16 prisoners. His phone calls home have been frequently restricted, the group says. And he’s been warned that he will be punished if he discusses his health, or his legal case.

“Ahmed Al-Doush has a family in the United Kingdom who urgently need him. He has been imprisoned for nothing more than social media posts – posts that would raise no eyebrow in any democratic country,” says Eilidh Macpherson of Amnesty International UK.

“His health is now in crisis, and every day he remains detained is another day of unconscionable injustice inflicted not just on him, but on four young children who are growing up without their father.”

“The Saudi authorities have the power to end this nightmare today,” she adds. “We call on them to act without delay: release Ahmed Al-Doush and allow him to return home.”

The group has also appealed to governments around the world to update their travel advice to ensure visitors to Saudi Arabia are aware of the risks that their past social media activity could entail, as the country gears up to host the World Cup in 2034 and other major events.