Saudi students expelled from university for taking photos on their phones

Earlier this week, two Saudi students were expelled from the kingdom's Al Qassim University after they being accused of allegedly using their mobile phones to "invade the privacy of their classmates".

The two students reportedly used their phones to take photos of women on campus. In a statement posted on its official Twitter page, university officials wrote:

"Our institution issued an order expelling two female students who used their mobile phones to invade the privacy of their colleagues on campus."

The educational institution's statement sparked controversy on Twitter and opened up debate about a recent decision allowing female students to use cell phones on university campuses. 

Announced by the kingdom's Ministry of Education in 2017, the order lifted a ban on female students using cell phones in at least seven universities across the country. It came after thousands of Saudi women called on authorities to reconsider the rule. 

"It's true that they did make a mistake and should be held accountable for it. And even though I don't have all the details over the incident, I believe that expelling these students is just too harsh." 

"Whoever violates regulations and invades people's privacy deserves to be punished." 

"Lecture halls and classrooms are equipped with iPads, computers, and Internet for students to take notes. Reverse the ban lift and allow us to protect our privacy and dignity." 

"Because before the ban-lift on using mobile phones in universities no student was expelled, no one filmed fellow students without their consent, and no one secretly carried mobile phones in their bags. Lifting this ban isn't wrong, what's wrong is the way some people use their phones."