Saudi Arabia: Up to 1m riyal fine, 5 years in jail for spreading COVID-19 rumours

Dubai: Saudi Arabia has warned the public against spreading rumours related to COVID-19 with fines reaching SR1 million for those found guilty, Saudi media reported.

According to the Ministry of Interior, offenders will be punished with a fine starting from SR 100,000 to SR 1 million, or imprisonment for a period of not less than one year and not more than 5 years, or both whoever is found guilty of spreading rumours or fake news about COVID-19, which are likely to cause panic.

The Saudi government has warned that fines will be doubled for repeat offenders.

Officials said that people should get information from government sources. They also urged the news outlets not to engage in publishing reports from anonymous sources which could disrupt public order.

The Ministry of Health also urged all members of the public to seek information from reliable and official sources. People who have questions about COVID-19 and relevant information can call the hotline 937.