British man being held in Saudi Arabia jailed for 10 years, say lawyers

A British nationalist arrested successful Saudi Arabia connected charges that look to subordinate to a deleted tweet has been jailed for 10 years, according to British lawyers and run groups representing the family.

Ahmed al-Doush was arrested successful August and, portion it is understood that UK Foreign Office officials were allowed into the Saudi tribunal for his hearing, the British authorities has been criticised for a deficiency of enactment since his arrest.

Jeed Basyouni, who leads the quality rights radical Reprieve’s enactment to halt the usage of the decease penalty, said: “This is what tin hap erstwhile the UK authorities fails to basal up for the rights of its citizens arbitrarily detained overseas.

“A British antheral was abducted successful beforehand of his household and disappeared into a Saudi jailhouse connected charges unknown, and for 8 months the Foreign Office failed to bash what was needed and question his release.

“When a British nationalist is convicted and sentenced to 10 years successful situation and neither his household nor his lawyer nor the Foreign Office cognize of what transgression helium has been accused thing has gone precise severely wrong.”

She added: “It would beryllium farcical if it was not a calamity for this household who person been severely fto down by the government.”

A authorities peculiar envoy for British nationals arbitrarily detained overseas has yet to beryllium appointed.

Doush’s wife, Amaher Nour, based successful Manchester, has 4 children including 1 calved portion her hubby was detained successful Saudi Arabia. She was fixed little quality of his lengthy condemnation by the lawyer appointed to him by the Saudi government.

Foreign Office officials astatine the proceeding were capable to walk quality of the condemnation to Doush’s British lawyers, it is understood.

Haydee Dijkstal, a barrister astatine 33 Bedford Row chambers and the planetary counsel for Doush, said: “Online expression, adjacent if expressing interest oregon disapproval of a government, should not beryllium criminalised oregon pb to detention and imprisonment. Using anti-terrorism authorities to punish and repress online look connected societal media with terrible situation sentences is inconsistent with planetary instrumentality and quality rights standards.”

Speaking earlier the sentence, Nour said: “I seldom talk to my hubby but successful the fewer snatched conversations we person managed it is wide that Ahmed is struggling.

“He has thyroid problems and is tormented by intelligence distress. He worries astir his household peculiarly arsenic helium was the sole breadwinner. He missed the commencement of our 4th kid and our 10-year wedding anniversary.

“Because Ahmed is simply a British national we expected the UK to supply clarity amid a tempest of uncertainty. But the Foreign Office refused to stock accusation with maine for months – citing information extortion – portion astatine the aforesaid clip accepting assurances from Saudi Arabia astatine look value.”

The Foreign Office has besides said the Middle East minister, Hamish Falconer, had raised the lawsuit aggregate times with Saudi officials but Nour said she had been refused a gathering with the overseas secretary, David Lammy.

Her hubby had received lone 3 consular visits since helium was imprisoned successful August.

She said: “We deliberation Ahmed is being charged for a tweet helium posted 7 years agone and subsequently deleted.

“Ahmed has been sleeping successful an overcrowded compartment that is filthy. My hubby is simply a dedicated household antheral who is devoted to his children, spending weekends taking them to restaurants and the park. They are distraught and are perpetually asking erstwhile helium volition beryllium back. I nary longer cognize however to reply their questions.

“For maine the night-time is an bare void wherever I question implicit and implicit wherefore this has happened to us.

“What Ahmed has endured implicit the past 8 months is tortuous prolonged solitary confinement, unclear charges, a forced confession and excessive surveillance by situation authorities each managed by a powerless state-appointed ineligible counsel.”