For crimes like robbery and theft, the death penalty is typically the outcome. However, a well-known law professor in Saudi Arabia has been given the death penalty for alleged crimes that include using WhatsApp and Twitter to spread information deemed “hostile” to the country.

After being detained in September 2017 as part of the Saudi government’s campaign against dissent under the leadership of the country’s new crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, Awad Al-Qarni, 65, who is reputed to be a significant pro-reform intellectual with a strong two million user following on Twitter, was given the death penalty.

Who is Awad Al-Qarni, though? What alleged offences does he have? Why is he considered harmful by the Saudi Arabian kingdom? We investigate further and provide you with the solutions.

Life and ‘crimes’ of Awad Al-Qarni

Saudi professor and speaker Awad Al-Qarni worked at both the King Khalid University and the Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University in Riyadh.

Al-Qarni, according to a claim by Al Jazeera, is the author of multiple works on Islamic law and the Palestinian problem. In addition, he instructs in neurolinguistic programming.

Along with 25 other clerics, Al-Qarni also endorsed a declaration denouncing the 2003 invasion of Iraq and expressing support for Palestinians.

The 65-year-old preacher has also not been afraid to express his views in the media and has been outspoken in his criticism of Saudi Arabia’s 2012 arrests of intellectuals and travel restrictions on them.

The charges against Al-Qarni, according to The Guardian, show that he distributed “hostile” news about the kingdom via various social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, and Telegram. According to the British tabloid, Al-Qarni acknowledged having a Twitter account with the handle @ awadalqarni and using it to share his opinions.

He “admitted” to taking part in a WhatsApp conversation endorsing the Muslim Brotherhood, according to court documents.

Al-Qarni has drawn criticism for being a dangerous preacher who advocates anti-modernity conspiracy theories and extreme speech.

Nasser Al-Qarni, Al-son, Qarni’s departed the country in October of last year after his father’s detention in 2017 and is currently residing in the UK and requesting his release.

On Twitter, he recently stated that Saudi Arabia had regressed in many areas. “Unfortunately, my country is deteriorating not only in terms of human rights but also in all other spheres, including social, economic, and political ones.”

Saudi’s crackdown on dissent

Al-Qarni is not the only person who has been detained in Saudi Arabia for expressing his opinions on social media. Salma al-Shehab, a mother of two and PhD candidate from Leeds, was given a 34-year term last year for having a Twitter account and for following and retweeting opposition figures.

A second woman by the name of Noura al-Qahtani received a 45-year prison term for using Twitter.

The Saudi Arabian government, led by Mohammad bin Salman, has come under fire for its crackdown on dissent, whether it takes place offline or on social media, according to numerous human rights organisations and activists.

The international watchdog Human Rights Watch has documented how the government continues to target important academics, women’s and human rights advocates, powerful businesses, and even other royal family members.

Saudi Arabia has concurrently boosted its financial position in firms like Twitter and Facebook, raising concerns that they might be abusing their power to invade users’ privacy.

The revelation that Prince Alwaleed bin Talal bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia is Twitter’s second-largest shareholder after Elon Musk sparked concern at the US Capitol, where Senator Chris Murphy demanded an immediate investigation into the Saudi Arabia’s stake in Twitter’s national security implications.

Murphy referred to Saudi Arabia as “one of the world’s most restrictive governments, with little to no tolerance for free expression” in his letter. He brought up the murder of Saudi dissident and Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul’s Saudi Consulate in 2018.

The possibility that Twitter’s foreign ownership may lead to increased censorship, false information, or political violence, he continued, “is a severe national security worry.”

Executions have increased in the past year in the Saudi kingdom. The European Saudi Organization for Human Rights claims that the monarchy slaughtered 147 people, including 81 people in a single day in a mass execution.

Most people who were executed were given ta’zir (discretionary) death sentences and were not accused of the most heinous offences. It is remarkable that this happened nine days after Mohammad bin Salman claimed that just one group named in the Quran still faced the death penalty in Saudi Arabia.

The post Explained: Who is the Saudi Arabian preacher Awad Al-Qarni, who was given the death penalty for using WhatsApp and Twitter? appeared first on Storritalk.