Saudi Man Receives Death Sentence for Internet Comments
Saudi Man Sentenced to Death for Online Activity on X and YouTube
In the latest crackdown on dissent within Saudi Arabia, a retired schoolteacher named Mohammed bin Nasser al-Ghamdi has been handed a death sentence for his online activities on X (formerly known as Twitter) and YouTube. The verdict was delivered by Saudi Arabia’s Specialized Criminal Court, originally established to handle terrorism cases but increasingly used to target activists. The charges against al-Ghamdi include “betraying his religion,” “disturbing the security of society,” “conspiring against the government,” and “impugning the kingdom and the crown prince” — all stemming from his online presence.
It remains unclear why al-Ghamdi was specifically targeted, although his brother, Saeed bin Nasser al-Ghamdi, has been an outspoken critic of the Saudi government while residing in the United Kingdom. In response to the ruling, Saeed tweeted, “This false ruling aims to spite me personally after failed attempts by the investigators to have me return to the country.”
Human Rights Watch researcher Joey Shea expressed deep concern over the sentence, stating that it signifies Saudi Arabia’s alarming escalation in punishing individuals for peaceful online expression. According to Amnesty International, only China and Iran executed more individuals than Saudi Arabia in 2022, with nearly 200 inmates executed, marking the highest number recorded in the last three decades.
This case of al-Ghamdi’s sentencing appears to be the first instance of a death penalty being imposed solely for online posts in Saudi Arabia.
