Govt cracks down on those who misuse social media accounts

The increasing use of social media to harm the Saudi community, citizens, or Islam by some users in the Kingdom has prompted the Ministry of Interior to crack down on these users, arresting them on charges of acting in a manner that harms and deviates from the ways of the Saudi community and Islam. 
The ministry’s response comes in light of repeated requests from the public to take action against the owners of these accounts.
On Wednesday, Riyadh police were able to identify a citizen in this 30s who misused Snap Chat in a manner that angered many citizens and prompted them to call for his punishment. 
Riyadh police spokesman Col. Fawaz bin Jameel Al-Maiman said close monitoring allowed authorities to identify the man, who had been using his account to post clips of him making disrespectful and harmful comments. He was arrested and handed over to the branch of the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution for violating anti-information crime regulations.
Riyadh police stressed the importance of cooperation between members of society and police, urging citizens and residents to file reports immediately with authorities about any inappropriate accounts in order to ensure the safety and security of all. 
In another incident, the spokesman said, Riyadh police identified a tweet on Twitter that contains a video in which someone is making offensive comments about Islam. The tweet sparked resentment and anger among many members of the community, he said.
The department of criminal search and investigation at the Riyadh police department were able to identify the individual behind the tweet, a Saudi citizen in his 30s, and discovered he was suffering from psychological disorders.
He was arrested and handed over to the Riyadh branch of the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution, said the spokesman.
In Qassim meanwhile, Qassim police announced the arrest of a popular SnapChat personality after he posted a number of videos showing him dressed in women’s clothing. Spokesman Maj. Badr Al-Sahaibani, said he was arrested for promoting videos on social media that depict behavior offensive to public morals. The necessary measures were taken against him, he said.
In Najran, authorities also arrested a young man who dressed in women’s clothing and drove his car in the streets of the city, documenting the act on video and posting it on social media. The video, which spread widely on Wednesday, shows the man roaming the streets in his car and buying some items from a store.
Those who viewed the video shared their discomfort with the act, describing it as immoral, while others described the young man as trying to attract attention and spark a reaction in people upon seeing a woman driving.
Spokesman for Najran police Abdullah Al-Ashwi said the video “is a violation of public morals and traffic regulations,” noting that the police were able to identify the young man, who is a Saudi national, and only 23 years old. He was handed over to authorities concerned, he said.
According to legal adviser Abdulaziz Al-Harthi, these individuals are expected to be handed over to the Department of Criminal Investigation as per the law. He said Article 6 of the Anti-information Crimes Law stipulates that these individuals will be subject to a penalty of jail for up to five years or a fine of up to SR3 million, or both.

Source: Arab News