Saudi Arabian television producer Abdulaziz Almuzaini has been sentenced to 13 years in prison and a 13-year travel ban by an anti-terrorism court for promoting homosexuality in his Netflix animated series “Masameer County”. The Special Criminal Court convicted Almuzaini of spreading obscene content through his show, which tackles social taboos in Saudi Arabia with humor.
Almuzaini’s punishment has had far-reaching consequences. He was forced to shut down his company, Myrkott Animation Studio, and lay off staff. Additionally, he made a direct appeal to Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, hoping that the Prince would intervene on his behalf. Unfortunately, as of now, there is no word on whether the Crown Prince has responded to Almuzaini’s plea.
Almuzaini’s Netflix series has been criticized by activists who have called out Saudi Arabia’s crackdown on online criticism. There have been instances where individuals have been sentenced to decades in prison for their posts. As such, the authorities have not responded to requests for comments regarding this matter. Meanwhile, Almuzaini himself remains unreachable as he is currently serving his sentence behind bars.
The case of Abdulaziz Almuzaini highlights the ongoing struggle for freedom of expression in Saudi Arabia. Despite efforts by activists and international pressure, the kingdom continues to crack down on any form of dissent or criticism.
