Saudi Arabia's Alarming Crackdown on Online Expression: Death Penalty for a Tweet
GHRTV
13-09-2023
Perla Khaled
Middle East and Human Rights Researcher
Global Human Rights Defence
A Saudi court has sentenced Mohammed bin Nasser al-Ghamdi to death, following his posts on X, formerly known as Twitter, amid an increasing crackdown on freedom of expression and dissent in the Kingdom. [1]
Al-Ghamdi, a retired teacher, was arrested in June 2022, held in solitary confinement for months, and questioned about his tweets and political opinions without access to legal aid. [2]
In July of 2023, the Specialized Criminal Court convicted al-Ghamdi on charges of “betraying his religion”, “disturbing the security of society”, “conspiring against the government” and “impugning the kingdom and the crown prince”. These criminal offences related solely to his peaceful online expression, including re-sharing critics’ posts. [3]
Al-Ghamdi’s conviction comes as part of a broader pattern of targeting social media users for peaceful online expression, with several individuals receiving harsh prison sentences in recent years for criticising the Saudi government. [4]
Last May, Areej al-Sadhan, the sister of a Saudi aid worker who was forcibly disappeared and later sentenced to 20 years in prison, filed a civil lawsuit against X, accusing the platform of disclosing confidential user data and assisting Saudi Arabia in committing grave human rights abuses against its users. [5] The lawsuit revolves around the covert entry of three Saudi operatives into X, with two of them posing as Twitter staff during 2014 and 2015. This intrusion eventually resulted in the apprehension of Abdulrahman, al-Sadhan's brother, and the revelation of the identities of numerous undisclosed Twitter users. [6] Some of these individuals were subsequently said to have been detained and subjected to torture as part of the government’s efforts to suppress opposition. [7]
International rights groups have strongly criticised al-Ghamdi’s sentence, with Human Rights Watch condemning it as a “terrifying new stage” of repression in Saudi Arabia, and highlighting that this is the first instance of the death penalty being used against someone solely for the exercise of freedom of expression in the online sphere. [8]
On his end, X owner Elon Musk has been criticised for his silence and lack of public comment on the situation, despite describing himself as a “free-speech absolutist”. What's particularly noteworthy is his previous pledge, just last month, to financially support individuals facing unjust treatment from their employers because of their social media actions:
“If you were unfairly treated by your employer due to posting or liking something on this platform, we will fund your legal bill,” Musk posted on August 6. “No limit. Please let us know.” [10]
Al-Ghamdi’s case highlights the alarming violations of due process rights within Saudi Arabia’s criminal justice system, including prolonged detention without trial, inadequate legal representation, and reliance on unlawful evidence i.e. potentially coerced confessions. Most concerning is the fact that individuals can be sentenced to death for engaging in peaceful online activities, a practice that severely violates basic human rights.
X’s alleged complicity in this situation raises concerns about the ethical responsibilities of social media platforms. If the platform indeed facilitated the identification and targeting of dissidents for Saudi authorities, it not only compromises user privacy and safety but also perpetuates human rights abuses. Such actions by tech giants can have far-reaching repercussions for freedom of expression and the right to liberty and safety in the digital age.
Sources and further reading:
[1] AP News, ‘Saudi man receives death penalty for posts online, latest case in wide-ranging crackdown on dissent’ (30 August 2023) <Saudi man receives death penalty for posts online, latest case in wide-ranging crackdown on dissent | AP News> accessed 13 September 2023.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Human Rights Watch, ‘Saudi Arabia: Man Sentenced to Death for Tweets’ (29 August 2023) <Saudi Arabia: Man Sentenced to Death for Tweets | Human Rights Watch> accessed 13 September 2023.
[5] The Guardian, ‘Twitter accused of helping Saudi Arabia commit human rights abuses’ (04 September 2023) <Twitter accused of helping Saudi Arabia commit human rights abuses | Saudi Arabia | The Guardian> accessed 17 September 2023.
[6] Ibid.
[7] Ibid.
[8] Human Rights Watch, ‘Saudi Arabia: Man Sentenced to Death for Tweets’ (29 August 2023) <Saudi Arabia: Man Sentenced to Death for Tweets | Human Rights Watch> accessed 13 September 2023.
[9] Independent, ‘Elon Musk under fire for ‘silence’ over man facing death sentence for tweets’ (01 September 2023) <Elon Musk under fire for silence over man facing death sentence for tweets | The Independent> accessed 17 September 2023.
