A Saudi court has issued a death sentence for a man due to his social media posts on X (formerly Twitter) and his activities on YouTube.

This decision marks an escalation in the government’s crackdown on dissent within the kingdom, attracting international criticism.

The verdict against Mohammed bin Nasser al-Ghamdi was revealed on Wednesday through The Associated Press.

Concurrently, doctoral student Salma al-Shehab and others are confronting lengthy prison terms for their online comments, the Associated Press reported.

These sentences are evidently part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s broader campaign to quell any forms of opposition within the kingdom, while he simultaneously engages in extensive construction projects and diplomatic initiatives to enhance his global prominence.

“Al-Ghamdi’s death sentence over tweets is extremely horrific but stands in line with the Saudi authorities’ escalating crackdown,” said Lina Alhathloul, the head of monitoring and advocacy at the London-based advocacy group ALQST.

Written by staff