Kashmiri Healthcare Worker Detained Over Facebook Condolence Freed in Saudi Arabia, Returns Home
Amjad Ali reaches Baramulla after diplomatic efforts following a Facebook condolence post
Srinagar: A Kashmiri youth who was detained in Saudi Arabia reportedly after sharing a Facebook condolence for the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Syed Ali Khamenei, has returned to his family in Baramulla after spending nearly three months in custody.
Amjad Ali, a healthcare professional working in Dammam, claimed that he was taken from his workplace in March 2026 when several security officials arrived and told him he was required for questioning. At the police station his passport and identity documents were confiscated and he was asked to sign an acknowledgement before being questioned about a March 5 Facebook post in which he had expressed condolences. Amjad has maintained that the post was a simple condolence message and nothing more.
He said that he was subsequently shifted to a jail facility and remained confined for almost three months without being formally informed of the charges, a prolonged period of silence that left his family in deep anxiety and emotional distress.
The lack of communication and clarity about his legal status prompted the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) to escalate the matter to the Government of India and seek urgent diplomatic intervention. The Association wrote directly to Union External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, urging the Ministry of External Affairs to press Saudi authorities for consular access, legal assistance, and a speedy resolution if no substantive charges were established.
The JKSA said that following sustained diplomatic engagement by the MEA and contact established by the Indian Embassy in Riyadh, consular officials were able to visit Amjad, ensure he had legal representation, and press for his release. Those diplomatic efforts culminated in Amjad’s release on June 25, after which Saudi authorities facilitated his travel back to India.
The JKSA expressed profound gratitude to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and the Ministry of External Affairs for their timely intervention and sustained engagement that, the Association said, secured Amjad’s safe return. Nasir Khuehami, National Convenor of the Association, described Amjad’s detention as a harrowing episode for the family and praised the MEA’s humanitarian approach and prompt attention. The Association reiterated that Amjad had no history of unlawful or extremist activity and had travelled to Saudi Arabia solely to earn a livelihood and support his family.
Reunited with his relatives in Baramulla, Amjad’s return brought immense relief after months of uncertainty, and the Association also acknowledged the role of media coverage in highlighting the family’s concerns and ensuring the case received public attention. End it
