Saudis face five years in jail for posting satire on social media
SAUDI ARABIA will punish online satire that “disrupts public order” with up to five years in prison, the public prosecutor has said, as the kingdom continues to crack down on dissent under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
“Producing and distributing content that ridicules, mocks, provokes and disrupts public order, religious values and public morals through social media... will be considered a cybercrime punishable by a maximum of five years in prison and a fine of three million riyals [£620,000],” the prosecutor wrote on Twitter.
Crown Prince Mohammed has drawn harsh criticism over the targeting of human rights activists and political dissidents since his appointment in June 2017. Dozens of Saudi citizens were convicted on charges linked to dissent under a previous sweeping law, particularly linked to posts on Twitter.
A year ago, authorities issued a call for people to report on their fellow citizen’ social media activities under a broad definition of “terrorist” crimes.
Saudi Arabia has pointed to its decision to allow women to drive as a sign of reform. But authorities also detained several prominent women’s rights activists at the time it was announced.
The prosecutor on Tuesday announced he was seeking the death penalty in the case against Sheikh Salman al-awda, an Islamist cleric. He was arrested in September 2017 after keeping silent or refusing to publicly back Saudi policies, including a rift with Qatar. The 37 charges against the cleric include spreading discord and incitement against the ruler.