The Saudi Arabian Court has issued a death penalty to a man for his posts on the Twitter and his online engagement on YouTube.
This represents the latest move in the kingdom's increasing crackdown on dissent, which has drawn international criticism.
The verdict against Mohammed bin Nasser al-Ghamdi, published by the Associated Press on August 30, comes as Salmah al-Shehab, a doctoral candidate, and others face potential ten-year prison terms for their online comments.
These sentences seem to be part of a wider effort by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to suppress opposition in the kingdom, as he advances major construction projects and diplomatic transactions to enhance his global influence.
Lina Alhathloul, head of monitoring and advocacy at the London-based group ALQST, stated that "Al-Ghamdi's death sentence over tweets is extremely shocking but aligns with the Saudi authorities' escalating crackdown."
"The lengthy prison terms given for freedom of speech, like Salmah al-Shehab's 27-year sentence, haven't garnered enough reaction, allowing authorities to intensify their repression," said Alhathloul. "They're sending a clear and ominous message that no one is safe, and even a tweet can lead to death."
Officials haven't promptly responded to requests for comment on the verdict issued by Saudi Arabia's Specialized Criminal Court, which also reviews charges against activists.
According to court records, al-Ghamdi's charges include apostasy, endangering societal security, conspiring against the government, and defaming the kingdom and the Crown Prince, all stemming from his online activity, including sharing critical posts.
The sentence has triggered immediate criticism from international human rights organizations.
"Repression in Saudi Arabia has reached a chilling new level, where a court can issue a death penalty solely for peaceful tweets," said Joey Shea, a researcher at Human Rights Watch.
According to Amnesty International, Saudi Arabia was one of the world's top executors of death sentences in 2022, following China and Iran. The country executed 196 individuals last year, the highest recorded by Amnesty in 30 years. In a single day in March of the previous year, the kingdom executed 81 individuals, marking the largest known mass execution in its modern history.
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