August 6, 2020
The Honorable
Patrick Leahy
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senator Leahy:
Thank you for your July 7 letter regarding Dr. Saad Aljabri and the reported detention of his
children in Saudi Arabia.
Dr. Aljabri has been a valued partner to the U.S. Government, working closely with us to ensure
the safety of Americans and Saudis. For years, Dr. Aljabri was the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh’s
counterpart on shared counterterrorism efforts and responded around the clock to threats against
our Mission and personnel. The United States appreciates Dr. Aljabri’s contributions to keeping
our citizens safe.
The Department of State is concerned by the alleged activities that led to Dr. Aljabri’s exile in
Canada. Any accusations of wrongdoing against Dr. Aljabri should be addressed through
established legal channels with full transparency and respect for the rule of law. Should U.S.
interests be involved, the Department and interagency partners have open lines of
communication with Saudi authorities to clarify and share information.
Any persecution of Dr. Aljabri’s family members is unacceptable. The Department has
repeatedly requested the Saudi Arabian government to clarify the status and nature of the Aljabri
children’s detentions, and will continue to urge their immediate release, absent sufficient and
compelling justification. The Department notes that several U.S. citizens are also wrongfully
detained in Saudi Arabia and will continue to advocate for their wellbeing and release. As it
does with all governments, the United States stresses the importance of respect for the rule of
law and freedom from arbitrary detention.
The strength of the U.S.-Saudi partnership – which has benefited both nations for more than
seven decades – permits us to engage in frank discussions in areas where we disagree. The
Department, in coordination with the White House and interagency colleagues, will continue to
engage Saudi counterparts to resolve this situation in a manner that honors Dr. Aljabri’s service
to our country.

 -2We hope this information is helpful to you. Please let us know if we may be of further
assistance.
Sincerely,

Ryan M. Kaldahl
Acting Assistant Secretary
Bureau of Legislative Affairs