An Egyptian expat in Saudi Arabia was reportedly sentenced to six years in jail over accusations of espionage with Iran, according to the Saudi newspaper Okaz.
The accusations against the Egyptian expat included sending secret documents related to the Saudi Arabian army to the Iranian embassy in Lebanon. Moreover, the jailed Egyptian received a reply from the Iranian embassy asking him for more information regarding internal conditions in Saudi Arabia.
The verdict included fining the Egyptian expat SAR 5,000 and deporting him directly after the end of penalty.
Nearly 10 million Egyptian citizens have left their country seeking employment. Though they move to different parts of the world, a huge proportion of these migrants are based in the Arab Gulf countries, which host nearly 4.5 million Egyptians, according to recent statistics from the Egyptian Expats Union.
Saudi Arabia hosts the greatest number of Egyptians expats among the Gulf countries, with nearly 2 million Egyptians. The remaining Gulf countries—Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates—host 2.5 million Egyptians, according to the Egyptians Abroad Union.
Egyptians in Arab Gulf countries are subject to increasing numbers of violations. Egyptians expats were subjected to several incidents of racism, assault, and persecution committed by both citizens of Arab Gulf countries and their officials.
