US citizen jailed in Saudi Arabia for criticising regime allowed to return to US

November 19, 2025

A 75-year-old dual US-Saudi citizen, Saad Ibrahim Almadi, has been permitted to leave Saudi Arabia and return to Florida after being imprisoned for tweets criticizing the Saudi government. The retired engineer was arrested during a 2021 family visit to Riyadh and sentenced to 19 years for allegedly destabilizing the kingdom and supporting terrorism, though he was released from prison in 2023 with a travel ban. His departure occurred shortly after President Trump met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House, with Almadi's family crediting the Trump administration for securing his release.

Who is affected

Saad Ibrahim Almadi (75-year-old retired engineer and dual US-Saudi citizen)
Ibrahim Almadi (his son) and the Almadi family
Other individuals still detained in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere (referenced by the family)
Journalists Josh Rogin (The Washington Post) and Steven Nelson (The New York Post)

What action is being taken

Saad Ibrahim Almadi is returning to Florida from Saudi Arabia
The Trump administration, National Security Council, and US State Department are facilitating his safe return
President Trump is meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman

Why it matters

This case highlights the tension between freedom of speech and international diplomacy, demonstrating how dual citizens can face severe consequences for expressing political opinions in authoritarian countries. The release illustrates how high-level diplomatic negotiations and personal interventions by heads of state can impact individual cases of detained citizens. It also underscores the ongoing controversy surrounding US-Saudi relations, particularly regarding human rights concerns and the government's treatment of dissidents.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC