Amid the ongoing crackdown on dissent in Saudi Arabia, the kingdom recently announced that it will be taking action against anyone who publishes "online satire that disrupts public order".

Violators will receive a sentence of up to five years in prison alongside a hefty fine, the public prosecutor said in a statement on Twitter.

"Producing and distributing content that ridicules, mocks, provokes and disrupts public order, religious values, and public morals through social media ... will be considered a cybercrime punishable by a maximum of five years in prison and a fine of three million riyals ($800,000)," the public prosecution wrote in a tweet.

Saudi Arabia's cybercrime laws have sparked debate on several occasions

The arrest of Saudi writer, activist, and blogger Raif Badawi is a case in point. A campaign - led by his wife and human rights activist Ensaf Haidar - has been fighting to #FreeRaif since he was arrested six years ago.

In 2012, Raif Badawi was arrested on a number of charges, including insulting Islam and apostasy. 

Furthermore, a number of people in Saudi Arabia have been convicted after videos of them committing acts that are deemed unlawful in the ultra-conservative kingdom went viral online.

In 2017, Saudi singer Abdallah Al Shaharani was arrested after a video of him dabbing at a musical contest went viral. In the footage, the aspiring artist was seen pulling off the dance move, which is officially prohibited by the country's anti-drug authority.

In 2017, Saudi authorities called on its citizens to report any suspicious "terrorist activity" they stumble upon on social media. 

"When you notice any account on social networks publishing terrorist or extremist ideas, please report it immediately via the application "#We're_all_security", the interior ministry wrote in a tweet at the time.

The kingdom has drawn heavy criticism following its crackdown on activists earlier this year.

In May, Saudi Arabia arrested a number of people for "actions against the state" and "suspicious communication with foreign entities". 

At least 15 prominent women's rights activists have been detained since May. Women's rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul, who was held in jail for more than 70 days back in 2014 after attempting to drive from the United Arab Emirates into Saudi Arabia, was among those arrested in the crackdown.

The activist's lawyer, Ibrahim al-Modimeegh, who formerly served as an adviser to the Saudi cabinet, was also arrested.