Saudi Arabia Releases American Retiree Jailed Over Negative Tweets

The Kingdom has agreed to allow US citizen Saad Almadi to return home to Florida, five months ahead of the scheduled lifting of travel restrictions and a day after Saudi crown prince and head of government met Donald Trump at the White House.

Judicial Proceedings Background

Almadi, 75, was sentenced to 19 years of incarceration in the kingdom in 2021 after he posted 14 tweets opposing the Riyadh government. Two years later, the allegations were modified to termed "cyber crimes" and he was sentenced to a 30-year ban on departing from Saudi Arabia.

"Our family is overjoyed that, after four long years, our father, Saad Almadi, is finally on his way home to the United States!"

The declaration that Almadi, a person with dual nationality and former engineering professional who had lived in the US since the 1970s, would be allowed to depart the country came after the US president gave an address promoting US-Saudi ties, including weapons deals and investment deals.

Political Recognition

"This day would not have been possible without President Donald Trump and the tireless efforts of his administration. We are extremely thankful to Dr Sebastian Gorka and the team at the national security council, as well as everyone at the foreign affairs office," it added.

The statement by Almadi's son, Ibrahim Almadi, also expressed gratitude to various charitable groups, including the James Foley Fund and Hostages America, and House speaker Mike Johnson for supporting the older Almadi's cause. He subsequently shared on social media that his father was traveling to the US.

Broader Context

Almadi is one of a handful of American dual citizens facing travel restrictions from Saudi Arabia following a clampdown on online dissent. His son has earlier stated that Almadi was coerced to sign papers renouncing his US citizenship.

The case against Almadi focused on social media posts in which he was alleged to have urged Saudi citizens to seek Lebanese citizenship and faulted the kingdom's defenses against Houthi rocket strikes.

Additionally, he supported the rededication of a street in the US capital after Jamal Khashoggi, the journalist and Washington Post columnist killed in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018.

Related Incident

US intelligence reports released by the Biden administration later assessed that the crown prince had authorized of a plan to "detain or eliminate" Khashoggi.

Questioned regarding the killing, Trump said the crown prince "knew nothing" of Khashoggi's killing. The Saudi crown prince has maintained his innocence. He said at the White House that Saudi Arabia "took appropriate measures" to examine Khashoggi's death, which he called "distressing" and a "major error".

International Efforts

US pressure to free Almadi and allow him to return to the US has been building since Trump's trip to Saudi Arabia in May. Many urged Trump's assertion that he is particularly effective in repatriating US citizens detained overseas.

When asked by a reporter in May about the case, Trump said he didn't know about it but promised to investigate. A few weeks later, one of his national security aides, Gorka, met the son at the White House.

"President Trump is the president of deals and he enjoys working with the Saudis and we will win your father back," Johnson said.