Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The Public Prosecution has warned against producing photos or video clips that violate the curfew order or incite to violate it, and publishing them through various means of information technology. “This is a grave crime that requires arrest and the perpetrator will be awarded with jail term for five years and a fine of SR3 million in accordance with Article Six of the Information Crime Prevention Law,” the Public Prosecution said in a statement posted on its Twitter account, while adding that the penalty will be applied to violators without holding the informers accountable for their tip-off.

In a related development, Hail police arrested a Saudi woman who appeared in a video clip being circulated in the social media, talking about her insistence on non-compliance of instructions regarding the royal curfew order. The spokesman of Hail police said that penal actions were being taken against the woman, who is in her 40, for her crime.

In another similar incident, two Saudis were arrested in Al-Jouf region. Lt. Col. Yazid Al-Hamoud, spokesman of police in Al-Jouf, said that a video clip was being circulated on social media in which a man, accompanied by another, was shown driving his vehicle in defiance of curfew orders. “Investigations carried out by police in Al-Qurayyat governorate resulted in identifying the man as a Saudi citizen in his 50s, as well as his companion, also a citizen in his 30. Both were arrested and legal procedures against them were completed,” he said.

Riyadh police spokesman Lt. Col. Shaker Al-Tuwaijri announced the arrest of two citizens and an Arab visitor who appeared in a video clip showing that they were roaming about in violation of the curfew orders. The men were shown mocking the role of security men, and photographing security men while performing their missions to implement curfew on one of the public roads in Riyadh. Al-Tuwaijri said that all the legal procedures were taken against the violators, who are in their 30s.

Meanwhile, Najran police arrested a man for posting videos of empty shelves of a super market in the region. The spokesman of Najran police said that the man was apprehended after noticing the video clip. “The photographer showed a number of empty shelves in one of the large commercial stores, claiming that they are free of food commodities, which gives an impression about the existence of a food crisis in the region. After verification by the concerned authorities, it was evident that the reality was completely different from what was claimed,” the spokesman said while adding that “empty shelves” were created for the purpose of expansion, and were designated as a new section for detergents. The spokesman said that the criminal investigation teams of Najran police arrested the man, who is a Saudi citizen in his 40s. The preliminary investigation procedures were completed in preparation for referring him to the competent authority for further legal action, he added.