US court orders release of Saudi Citizen after 20 years in prison
Hamidan Al Turki was arrested in November 2004 on charges of mistreating his maid
Dubai: A US court has ordered the release of Saudi citizen Hamidan Al Turki after nearly 20 years spent in a Colorado prison, following a three-day deliberation to overturn his conviction, according to the Saudi Okaz newspaper.
Al Turki was handed over to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) authorities to facilitate the final steps of his repatriation to Saudi Arabia.
Al Turki, who had moved to the US for PhD studies, was arrested in November 2004 on charges of mistreating his maid and violating immigration laws.
Initially released on bail, he was re-arrested in June 2005, alongside his wife, Sarah Al Khunaizan, on the same charges. The couple’s five children were left behind.
On August 31, 2006, Al Turki was sentenced to 28 years in prison. Throughout the proceedings, he maintained his innocence, asserting that the charges were fabricated.
In February 2011, his sentence was reduced from 28 years to eight years due to good behaviour and a positive influence on fellow inmates, as attested by the prison warden.
Al Turki’s case has garnered widespread public and official support in Saudi Arabia, with many advocating for his release.
- Huda Ata is an independent writer based in the UAE
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