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
Threat to Kingdom’s security is ‘red line’ that will be ‘addressed and neutralized,’ Saudi envoy says
- Abdulaziz Alwasil tells UN Security Council the situation in southern Yemen is ‘a just cause with social and historic dimensions’ that can only be resolved through dialogue
- Recent military activity in the south was unilateral, resulting in an escalation that harms the interests of Yemeni people and undermines efforts to address issues in the south, he said
NEW YORK CITY: Any attempt to threaten Saudi Arabia’s national security is a “red line” and will be met with decisive action, the Kingdom’s ambassador to the UN told the Security Council on Wednesday.
Speaking during a meeting of the council to discuss Yemen, Abdulaziz Alwasil said the situation in the south of the country is “a just cause with social and historic dimensions” that can only be resolved through dialogue.
“We stress that any attempt to threaten our national security is a red line, and we will not hesitate to take the necessary actions and steps to address it and neutralize it,” he added.
Alwasil reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s support for Yemeni President Rashad Al-Alimi, the Presidential Leadership Council, and the Yemeni government in their efforts to achieve security, stability, development and peace while preserving national unity.
He said military activity by Southern Transitional Council forces in Hadramout and Al-Mahra on Dec. 2, 2025, was unilateral, did not have the approval of the Presidential Leadership Council, and was not carried out in coordination with the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen.
It had resulted in an unjustified escalation that harmed the interests of the Yemeni people, undermined efforts to address the issues in the south, and ran counter to the coalition’s objectives, Alwasil added.
The Kingdom, working with its coalition partners, the Presidential Leadership Council and the Yemeni government, had moved to contain the situation by dispatching a military force to coordinate arrangements with the Southern Transitional Council in Aden, he said.
The aim was to ensure the return of the southern council’s forces to their previous positions outside of Hadramout and Al-Mahra, and the handover of camps to legitimate government forces and local authorities in line with agreed procedures, Alwasil added.
He expressed regret over the military operations that took place in Hadramout and Al-Mahra, close to Saudi Arabia’s southern border, which he said posed a direct threat to the Kingdom’s national security, as well as the security of Yemen and regional stability. Such steps were extremely dangerous, he added, and contradicted the principles on which the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen had been founded.
Alwasil welcomed a prisoner and detainee exchange agreement signed in Muscat on Dec. 23, which he described as an important humanitarian measure to alleviate suffering and build confidence.
He praised Oman for hosting and sponsoring the consultations and supporting negotiations, and commended the efforts of UN’s special envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, the International Committee of the Red Cross and all others that has played a part.
Regarding the political efforts to resolve the crisis, Alwasil said Saudi Arabia welcomed President Al-Alimi’s call for an inclusive conference in Riyadh to bring together all stakeholders to discuss just solutions to the situation in southern Yemen.
Preparations for the conference have begun, he added, in cooperation with the Yemeni government and southern representatives, reflecting the close ties between the two countries and their shared interests in stabilizing Yemen.
He urged all southern stakeholders to participate actively and constructively in the talks, to help find comprehensive and just solutions that meet the legitimate aspirations of the people of southern Yemen.
Alwasil called on all Yemeni forces and stakeholders to cooperate and intensify their efforts to reach a lasting political settlement that would ensure security and stability.
He described the southern issue as “a just cause with social and historic dimensions,” adding that “the only way to address it is through dialogue that leads to a comprehensive political solution” based on nationally and internationally agreed terms of reference.
