RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Public Prosecution said on Monday that spreading rumors or lies about any matter “related to public order” is considered a serious crime in the Kingdom and anyone caught doing so faces arrest and tough penalties.
The authority added that in accordance with the Law on Combating Information Crimes and the Law of Criminal Procedures, this includes individuals who promote or participate in spreading false information in any form on social media, especially fabrications that originate from hostile sources in other countries.
The Public Prosecution said that while monitoring accounts on social-networking sites it had found some that were creating or spreading baseless rumors about a Riyadh Season music event that had been postponed. The false information was coordinated and supported by external, hostile parties who were responsible for most of the posts, the authority added.
It added that individuals in the Kingdom who had participated in spreading the rumors had been “summoned” and criminal charges are being brought against them.
“These actions result in heavy penalties of up to five years imprisonment and a fine of SR3 million ($800,000),” the Public Prosecution said. In addition, devices and tools used to commit such crimes will be confiscated, the final ruling is made public and action can be taken against anyone who incited, assisted or agreed to commit the crime, the authority added.
It urged all citizens and residents to obtain information only from official sources and not to engage with rumors on social media. Those who fail to heed the warning risk facing the maximum penalties prescribed by law, it added.
Saudi Public Prosecution warns of harsh penalties for spreading rumors
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Saudi Public Prosecution warns of harsh penalties for spreading rumors
- Anybody caught making false statements about matters ‘related to public order’ face up to five years in jail and a SR3 million fine
- This includes anyone who spreads false information on social media, especially lies that originate from hostile sources in other countries
Japanese researchers hope to restore coral from Saudi-made structures
- Coral skeletons made for Saudi Pavilion at Japan expo last year
- Results of Japanese study to be revealed at Riyadh Expo 2030
TOKYO: Japanese universities are seeking to restore coral reefs and marine ecosystems after receiving artificial structures that Saudi Arabia made and showcased at last year’s Osaka-Kansai Expo.
The coral skeletons were donated to the University of the Ryukyus in Okinawa and Kansai University in Osaka Prefecture, Kyodo News reported at the weekend.
The structures are made from calcium carbonate, a material on which corals are believed to grow more easily compared to artificial alternatives such as concrete or metal.
The skeletal structures were created using 3-D printers, with one piece produced a day during the expo, and displayed across an entire wall in the Saudi Arabia Pavilion, which had an area focusing on sustainable marine environments.
Coral reefs serve as habitats for much marine life, but over 40 percent of the world’s 892 species face possible extinction, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
The University of the Ryukyus, which received about 150 of the artificial coral skeletons, will place them in waters off the eastern coast of Okinawa’s main island and then examine their impact on the ecosystem.
Kansai University has placed theirs in the sea around Kagoshima Prefecture’s Yoron Island to observe their growth after transplanting coral polyps onto the structures.
The results of the research are expected to be revealed at the Riyadh Expo in 2030.
“I had never imagined that Japan and Saudi Arabia would cooperate on coral research,” said Masato Ueda, a professor specializing in regenerative medicine at Kansai University.
Ueda said he wants to demonstrate to children that “humanity is attempting to restore the environment.”
