SRINAGAR: A healthcare professional from Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla district has returned home after spending nearly three months in detention in Saudi Arabia over a Facebook post, with his release reportedly secured following diplomatic intervention by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
Amjad Ali, a resident of Pattan in Baramulla, arrived home last week after being released by Saudi authorities, according to the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA).
JKSA national convenor Nasir Khuehami said Amjad was detained by Saudi Civil Defence officials in Dammam in March 2026 while at work. He was reportedly questioned over a Facebook post shared on March 5 expressing condolences over the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The association said Amjad’s passport and identification documents were seized before he was lodged in jail. It claimed he was not formally informed of the charges against him during his detention.
The JKSA said it approached External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and the MEA, seeking diplomatic intervention, consular access and legal assistance for Amjad. The association also maintained that he had no history of unlawful or extremist activities and had travelled to Saudi Arabia solely for employment.
According to the JKSA, sustained diplomatic engagement by the MEA resulted in Amjad’s release on June 25, after which Saudi authorities facilitated his return to India.
Family members said they became aware of his detention nearly a month after he was taken into custody and had no communication with him throughout his confinement.
“We had no communication with him during all these months. We kept praying for his well-being,” a relative said, expressing gratitude to all those who assisted in securing his release. The family also said it has no plans to send him back to Saudi Arabia.
