Key facts
- British businessman Rami Naimi has allegedly been abducted, tortured, and coerced by Saudi authorities over a nine-year period.
- Naimi was first abducted in Dubai in 2017, tortured, and released in 2018.
- He was detained again in 2022 and held for two years before being sentenced to six years in prison after a secret trial.
- Naimi faces a second trial for allegedly following critical social media accounts and attempting to leave the country without permission.
- His family claims he was forced to sign a settlement agreement and pledge a significant sum of money.
- Naimi's wife, Mira Lozi, has spoken out for the first time, describing their experience as a 'nightmare'.
A British woman has detailed her husband's alleged nine-year ordeal of abduction, torture, and coercion by Saudi authorities, speaking out for the first time after years of what her family described as failed quiet diplomacy. Rami Naimi, a businessman and son of former Saudi oil minister Ali Al-Naimi, was first abducted in Dubai in 2017 upon returning from Australia. His family claims he was blindfolded, forcibly taken to Saudi Arabia, and subjected to torture, electrocution, waterboarding, and psychological abuse for three months while detained with other elites at the Ritz-Carlton hotel during a purge.
Naimi was released in January 2018 after signing a settlement agreement and falsely agreeing to forfeit 5 billion Saudi riyals, later reduced to 1 billion riyals (£200 million), which his family states they do not possess. He was placed under electronic surveillance and banned from leaving the kingdom. In 2022, he was reportedly disappeared again for nearly two years, subjected to further torture and abuse, and held in Al Ha’ir prison. Following his release in March 2025 with an electronic tag and travel ban, he learned of charges against him, which he denies.
His wife, Mira Lozi, currently battling cancer, stated that speaking out was a liberation after years of being told to remain silent. She expressed hope that governments would help end their nightmare. Their 21-year-old son, Ali, who was 12 when his father was first abducted, described the situation as "shocking." Human rights lawyer Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC, leading the case, emphasized the need for government support and criticized the recent appointment of a special envoy for Britons detained overseas as insufficient.
The family hopes to meet with the new UK prime minister and foreign secretary. The case highlights ongoing scrutiny of the UK's relationship with Saudi Arabia concerning arms flow, public executions, and the targeting of dissidents. Recent reports indicate X (formerly Twitter) has blocked accounts of Saudi dissidents within the kingdom following orders from Saudi authorities.