Saudis warned against following extremist accounts on social media

Abu Dhabi: Saudi lawyers have warned against following extremist accounts on social media, stressing that this is a crime that is punishable by law with very harsh penalties and that the employers have the right to follow up on the accounts of their employees.

Lawyer Majed Qaroub confirmed to Al Ekhbariya TV that following people designated as terrorists on social media is a crime punishable by up to eight years in prison, and the employers have the right to follow up on their employees accounts under the Saudi laws.

He added, “According to the Law on Combating Terrorism Crimes, anyone who supports or advocates a terrorist ideology, a terrorist entity, a terrorist crime or the method of its perpetrator, or expresses sympathy with it or justifies their act or crime, shall be punished with imprisonment for a period not exceeding eight years but not less than three years.”

Qaroub confirmed that the employers have the right to follow up on their employees’ accounts on social media, direct them and hold them accountable for following accounts that support terrorism and extremism, stressing that this is one of their most important responsibilities as we are suffering because of terrorism and extremism.

He called on all government agencies, bodies and ministries of education, health, sports, human resources, trade and others to warn their employees against “all external penetration attempts”.