After being appointed the new crown prince in 2017, Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman began a crackdown on dissidents after his appointment. A law professor was recently sentenced to death for using social media.
According to court documents seen by the Guardian, a prominent Saudi Arabian professor who supports reform has been sentenced to death for having a Twitter account and using Whatsapp to share news “hostile” to Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabian Professor Portrayed as a Dangerous Preacher by the Media
Al-Qarni has been arrested, and while local media describe Al-Qarni as a dangerous preacher, others who know Al-Qarni say he is an important and respected intellectual. Al-Qarni has over 2 million followers on Twitter.
According to prosecution documents shared by Al-Qarni's son Nasser, the use of social media and other means of communication by Crown Prince Mohammed has been considered a crime within the region since he came to power.