Saudi Arabia jails Yemeni blogger over video calling for LGBT rights
A Saudi court sentenced Mohamad al-Bokari to 10 months in prison over a social media post encouraging gay rights.
Saudi Arabia has imprisoned a Yemeni blogger over a social media video that called for LGBT rights, Human Rights Watch said Tuesday.
Mohamad al-Bokari, 29, was arrested in April after he uploaded a video that included him talking about same-sex relationships, the New York-based rights group said. In the video, which Saudi authorities claimed violated “public order and morals,” Bokari said, “Everyone has rights and should be able to practice them freely, including gay people.”
He was charged with “violating public morality” and “imitating women.” Last week, a Saudi court sentenced the activist to deportation after 10 months in prison and a fine of 10,000 Saudi riyals ($2,700). Bokari has 30 days to appeal.
A source in contact with Bokari said he has no access to a lawyer at the al-Malaz prison in the capital, Riyadh. According to Human Rights Watch’s source, Bokari, who suffers from a heart condition, has been subjected to physical and psychological duress while in pretrial detention.
