The family of a British father who has been jailed in Saudi Arabia for 10 years has still not been told what the offence was, reports The Times.
This is just one of the fair trial and due process violations Ahmed Al-Doush has had to contend with throughout his detention, which started in August last year.
Reprieve’s head of MENA death penalty projects Jeed Basyouni said: “This is what happens when the UK government fails to stand up for the rights of its citizens arbitrarily detained overseas. A British man was abducted in front of his family and disappeared into a Saudi jail, on charges unknown, and for eight months the [Foreign Office] failed to do what was needed and seek his release.
“When a British national is convicted and sentenced to ten years in prison, and neither his family nor his lawyer nor the Foreign Office know what crime he has been accused of, something has gone very badly wrong. It would be farcical if it wasn’t a tragedy for this family, who have been badly let down by the UK government.”
Ahmed’s wife Amaher Nour told the The Times, “I rarely speak to my husband but in the few snatched conversations we have managed, it’s clear Ahmed is struggling. He has thyroid problems, back pain and is tormented by mental distress,” she said.
“He worries about his family, particularly as he was the sole breadwinner. He missed the birth of our fourth child and our ten-year wedding anniversary. How many more family milestones will he have to miss before the [Foreign Office] sit up and take action?”