Earlier this week, police in Saudi Arabia's Ha'il arrested a woman accused of posting "illicit" content via her public Snapchat account, Sabq news site reported.
Her detainment came after several of her followers reported her to local authorities, claiming her posts were "inappropriate."
The woman, reportedly a 29-year-old and a divorced mother-of-two, is said to have gained quite the popularity on the social media platform in the past few months, especially in her city. Those criticizing her claim her videos and posts "incite debauchery" and violate the kingdom's public decency laws.
According to local authorities, the woman's content included several violations.
Some of the violations include things that aren't considered crimes around the world but are illegal in the conservative kingdom — especially when it comes to women.
These include teaching young girls "immoral" ideals about freedom and encouraging married women to leave their husbands if they don't fulfill specific requests. Other posts the woman is being held accountable for include parties where women were seen dancing and smoking shishas and cigarettes.
She is said to have started hosting these events for her followers in the past few months. Some of her male followers have also accused her of starting a match-making service via her account, helping young men host mixed-gender parties — something that is strictly forbidden in the country. Others claimed she regularly posted illicit and pornographic materials.
Investigations into the defendant's case are currently ongoing and her file is set to be referred to the kingdom's public prosecution office.
It remains unclear whether she will be tried under the Gulf nation's strict cybercrime law or its public decency legislation.
In a statement to StepFeed, a legal expert in the kingdom said the woman could be tried under both since she's accused of both virtual crimes and ones like hosting parties that violate the kingdom's rules.
Saudi Arabia implements strict cybercrime and public decency laws
If the woman is found guilty, her offenses could be punished under article six of the country's cybercrime law.
The clause states that anyone accused of the "production, preparation, transmission, or storage of material impinging on public order, religious values, public morals, and privacy" can be punished with up to five years in prison and/or a fine of up to 3 million Saudi riyals ($800,000).
When it comes to the public decency law, she could be tried under it as the legislation covers all acts seen to go against Saudi Arabia's "social norms, values and identity."
