Florida retiree blocked from leaving Saudi Arabia until March 2025 after cyber-crime conviction
Saad Almadi, 75, convicted of online posts that undermined public order; exit ban extends until March 2025, even as terrorism charges were dropped and he serves no additional prison time beyond more than a year already served.
A Florida retiree has been convicted in Saudi Arabia of distributing online content that undermines public order and was given a three-year sentence, though he will not serve additional prison time beyond the more than a year he already spent behind bars after his 2021 arrest. The court also barred 75-year-old Saad Almadi from leaving Saudi Arabia until March 2025, a continuation of exit restrictions that have kept him separated from his Boca Raton home.
Almadi’s son, Ibrahim Almadi, said the ruling reflects a broader push to curb dissent tied to social media criticism of the kingdom’s leadership. According to Ibrahim, authorities confronted his father with tweets posted over several years, including one referencing Jamal Khashoggi’s 2018 killing and another criticizing Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s consolidation of power. The verdict comes as U.S. and Saudi officials work to repair ties after a period in which the crown prince’s reputation was tarnished by a U.S. intelligence assessment that he ordered Khashoggi’s killing, an assessment he denies.
Officials did not respond to requests for comment on the case. The Saudi government maintains that the crackdown on alleged corruption, terrorism, and other security threats is necessary to safeguard stability and national interests. The ruling also underscores a policy that Saudi authorities regularly employ exit bans and other restrictions on individuals who fall under criminal investigations or convictions, even in cases involving dual nationals or long-standing residents.
The case has drawn attention in the United States, where the State Department said it is monitoring Almadi’s situation and providing consular services as appropriate while declining to offer further comment. The White House did not respond to a request for comment. The episode has intersected with broader diplomatic efforts: during a May visit to Saudi Arabia, former President Donald Trump described Prince Mohammed as an “incredible man” and a “friend,” a posture that has drawn scrutiny amid ongoing questions about how the United States weighs human rights concerns against strategic interests in the region. In late May, Sebastian Gorka, a former adviser to Trump, met with Ibrahim Almadi at the White House to discuss the case and related issues.
The elder Almadi’s case has prompted interest from human rights advocates who note that several Americans and dual nationals have faced exit bans or other travel restrictions in Saudi Arabia in recent years. Abdullah Alaoudh, a senior director at the Washington-based Middle East Democracy Center, said he knows of at least four other American citizens or U.S. residents facing similar restrictions. He called the exit bans a tool that can be used to pressure individuals and families to remain quiet in the face of political and diplomatic strains.
Almadi, a retired project manager who immigrated to the United States in the 1970s, was arrested upon his arrival in Saudi Arabia for what officials described as a routine family visit. He faced terrorism-related charges linked to his online posts; those charges were dropped, but the court imposed the exit ban that keeps him from returning to his Boca Raton home. An Associated Press report in January also noted that Saudi officials had pressed Almadi to renounce his American citizenship while he was detained, a move that would complicate any potential repatriation should the exit ban ever be lifted.
The Saudi government’s approach to dissent, particularly online commentary about the crown prince and the state’s handling of Khashoggi’s murder, remains a sensitive flashpoint in Riyadh’s relations with Washington. Saudi officials have argued that the actions fit within a long-standing campaign to secure the kingdom’s governance and security, arguing that such cases are handled within Saudi law and reflect domestic concerns rather than punitive measures against dual nationals or American residents per se. Critics say the use of exit bans in cases involving social media remarks amounts to a chilling effect that extends beyond conventional criminal charges and lacks transparent oversight.
As the United States continues to seek a stable, mutually beneficial relationship with Saudi Arabia, cases like Almadi’s test the boundaries of diplomacy, human rights advocacy, and consular protections. The exit ban’s duration—set to expire in March 2025—means Almadi will likely spend another several months separated from his family and his Florida residence, unless a new legal development alters the court’s order.