Florida Retiree Convicted for Tweets Against Saudi Prince

Miami, US, Sep 24 (AP) - A 75-year-old retiree from Florida has been found guilty of cyber crimes in Saudi Arabia due to his social media critiques of the kingdom's crown prince, as disclosed by his son. Saad Almadi was convicted on September 14 for sharing online content deemed detrimental to public order, receiving a three-year sentence. However, having already spent over a year imprisoned since his 2021 arrest, Almadi won't face further jail time but is barred from leaving Saudi Arabia until March.

The Saudi government, known for not recognizing dual citizenship, did not comment on the matter. It often dismisses criticism as part of a broader crackdown on corruption and terrorism. The conviction follows the warm reception Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman extended to then-President Donald Trump during his May visit to reinforce US-Saudi ties amid ongoing controversy over the prince's alleged involvement in journalist Jamal Khashoggi's 2018 assassination, which he denies.

Almadi's son, Ibrahim, suggests the judicial decision aims to silence families like his, as several American citizens face similar exit bans. Ibrahim Almadi expressed frustration at the fluctuating government stance, noting the lack of repercussions for these changes.

Saad Almadi relocated to the US in the 1970s and was apprehended in Saudi Arabia during a brief family visit. Authorities confronted him with his tweets about the crown prince and Khashoggi. Initially sentenced to more than 19 years for terrorism-related charges, Almadi was later freed after a year, with those charges dropped, but remains restricted by an exit ban.

The Associated Press noted in January that Saudi officials pressured Almadi to relinquish his American citizenship. Despite Trump's previous emphasis on freeing Americans abroad, he remained largely silent on Almadi's case, only acknowledging it upon a reporter's inquiry in May. Subsequently, a national security aide met with Ibrahim Almadi.

The US State Department continues to monitor Almadi's case while providing consular services, though privacy concerns prevent further commentary. The White House has yet to respond to inquiries.

During Trump's visit to Riyadh this May, he praised Crown Prince Mohammed, highlighting the deepening business relations between Trump's family and the Saudi royals, including a significant deal in Qatar and collaborations on luxury projects in Jeddah.

Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, also secured a $2 billion investment from the crown prince's sovereign wealth fund. Meanwhile, human rights advocate Abdullah Alaoudh from the Middle East Democracy Centre voices concerns over other Americans facing exit bans in Saudi Arabia, including a US citizen, two dual nationals, and a green-card holder.

As the Middle East's leading oil producer, Saudi Arabia plays an influential role in regional politics and is pivotal in US efforts to normalize relations between Arab states and Israel through the Abraham Accords, a key foreign policy milestone from Trump's first term.(AP)

(Only the headline of this report may have been reworked by Editorji; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)