A Saudi cleric faces 45 days in prison after a court in the kingdom convicted and sentenced him for defamation.
Last Ramadan, cleric Saeed bin Farwah called prominent Saudi comedic actor Nasser Al-Gassabi an "infidel" after an episode of his popular TV series "Selfie." The specific episode that drew Farwah's ire mocked religious men who break musical instruments.
"The defendant has been sentenced in accordance with the Saudi law," Saudi lawyer Majed Garoub told Arab News.
"The legal system in Saudi Arabia preserves people’s rights and dignity from unlawful assault, either through words or opinions," he said.
According to Al-Gassabi's lawyer, only the actor now has the right to pardon the cleric. The case took one year to process, as the original verdict was handed down by a lower court and now endorsed by an appeals court.
On Twitter, the actor shared his thoughts on the verdict.
"There’s no impunity over anyone, no matter how long their beard or how short their robe. People’s dignities are protected by law and no one is allowed to override the role of our government," he wrote.
While Al-Gassabi won this case, this isn't the only time his show drew criticism and controversy. Last year, several episodes drew strong social media debates, especially one that >poked fun at sectarianism in the kingdom.
The episode involved two clerics, one Sunni and one Shitte, who 20 years later found out that their sons had been switched at birth. The clerics wanted their biological sons to convert to their original sect.
Some even launched a hashtag to stop the show after the episode aired.
Another episode of the show criticized the manner in which Arabs, specifically the Bedouins and the Taee tribe, spend money in a careless manner. This stirred controversy as well.
But despite the controversy, Al-Gassabi hasn't shied away from tackling social issues. He has already drawn criticism once again this year after discussing some taboo issues.