Abdul Rahman Al-Jareis, lawyer of the nine Saudis detained in Lebanon, said the Saudi Embassy in Lebanon has started taking steps to seek their release and has hired lawyers to follow up on the case.

Al-Jareis said the judicial path will take too long and appealed to Lebanese President Michel Suleiman to intervene in the case.

He urged the Lebanese authorities and security agencies to issue an amnesty to end the sufferings of the detainees by returning them to Saudi Arabia, where they can finish their sentences with their families during Ramadan.

Eight of the detained are in a prison in Roumieh, and one another detainee is being investigated for issues related to drugs.