Saudi prosecutors want cleric executed for tweets: document

Saudi prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for a prominent cleric accused of using social media to stoke unrest, according to a court document seen by AFP on Thursday.

Awad al-Qarni was among dozens of prominent clerics and dissidents arrested in September 2017, three months after Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman became first in line to the throne. 

Human rights activists accuse Prince Mohammed of overseeing a crackdown on critics seen as harsh even by the standards of Saudi Arabia, which does not allow political opposition. 

The prosecution's filing was shared with AFP by Qarni's son Nasser, who last year fled to the United Kingdom to seek asylum. 

Prosecutors accuse Qarni of spreading anti-government messages on Facebook and on Twitter, where he has 2 million followers. 

"He tweets from his Twitter account at every opportunity, using it as a means to express his misguided opinions and direction," the court document states. 

Objectionable posts cited in the document include statements of support for the Muslim Brotherhood, criticism of Saudi judicial decisions and commentary on a diplomatic rift that saw Saudi Arabia lead a yearslong boycott of neighboring Qatar.

The two Gulf countries later mended ties during a summit in January 2021.

The posts are seen as being part of "efforts to destabilize the nation's foundation, turning society against its rulers, stirring up unrest and showing sympathy for a hostile state [Qatar]," the filing states.

They also convey "support for the agenda of the Muslim Brotherhood terrorist organization against the homeland and its rulers," the filing added.

Qarni is also accused of "striving to destabilize the social fabric … and stir up public opinion by inciting sedition and division between Muslims and between the ruler and the ruled." 

Saudi officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the case.