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A U.S. citizen jailed in Saudi Arabia for criticizing the royal family online was freed Wednesday by Saudi authorities, ending a four-year ordeal in the country, according to media reports.
Saad Almadi’s release came just a day after President Donald Trump met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Washington, D.C., per the New York Post.
Almadi, 75, a retired engineer and U.S. resident since 1976, was detained in 2021 during a family visit to Riyadh and later sentenced to more than 19 years in prison on terrorism charges tied to a series of posts online.
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The charges were reduced to cyber crimes, and although he was released from prison in 2023, Almadi was held in the country under an exit ban which prevented him from going back home to the U.S.
The Almadi family issued a statement Wednesday celebrating the good news and thanking Trump.
“Our family is overjoyed that, after four long years, our father, Saad Almadi, is finally on his way home to the United States!” they said.
“This day would not have been possible without President Donald Trump and the tireless efforts of his administration. We are deeply grateful to Dr. Sebastian Gorka and the team at the National Security Council, as well as everyone at the State Department.”
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A third portion of the statement expressed appreciation to others who had supported the case over the years.
“We extend our thanks to the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh for keeping our father safe, and to the nonprofit organizations and members of Congress who fought for his freedom,” the statement read.
Almadi’s case also drew attention from human rights groups and U.S. lawmakers after he was accused of terrorism over 14 social media posts.
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One suggested that a street in Washington be renamed after Jamal Khashoggi, who was murdered in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul in 2018.
U.S. pressure to lift Almadi’s exit ban had also intensified since Trump’s May visit to Saudi Arabia.
The president’s national security advisor, Sebastian Gorka, also met with Almadi’s son at the White House.
The Foley Foundation, which advocates for Americans detained overseas, praised the news Wednesday, saying it was “so excited” the family’s fight had finally succeeded.
Per reports, Almadi was flying to the U.S. from Riyadh on Wednesday, according to his family, after Trump and the crown prince set foot on stage at a forum in Washington.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Sebastian Gorka, the Department of State and The White House for comment.
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