A Saudi man has been sentenced to death by the Specialized Criminal Court in Saudi Arabia for his online posts on X and YouTube, marking a concerning crackdown on dissent in the country. The charges against the retired schoolteacher, Mohammed bin Nasser al-Ghamdi, include "betraying his religion," "disturbing the security of society," "conspiring against the government," and "impugning the kingdom and the crown prince." His sentencing appears to be the first death sentence solely based on online posts.

Human rights organizations have condemned the ruling, with Human Rights Watch describing it as a "terrifying new stage" and stating that peaceful tweets should not warrant the death penalty. Saudi Arabia had the third-highest number of executions in 2022, following China and Iran, and has executed at least 92 people this year alone. The escalating crackdown on free speech in the country has led to concerns about the safety of individuals expressing their views online.

The sentencing of al-Ghamdi raises questions about the limits on freedom of speech in Saudi Arabia and the use of harsh punishments for dissenting opinions expressed on social media platforms.