Saudi producer sentenced to 13 years in prison for Netflix series

Saudi writer and producer Abdul Aziz al-Muzaini has been sentenced to 13 years in prison and a 13-year travel ban for promoting terrorism and homosexuality in his Netflix show and old tweets.

In a video posted on YouTube and X (formerly Twitter) addressed to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, al-Muzaini said that a committee of Saudi Arabia’s Audiovisual Commission had brought up to 30 charges against him in 2021, shortly after its premiere on Netflix, in connection with his popular animated series Masameer.

Al-Muzaini says he was questioned by Saad al-Suhaimi, the committee’s chairman, who initially questioned his decision to partner with Netflix instead of working with Saudi broadcaster MBC.

Al-Muzaini told his interrogator that he had already spoken to Israa Osseiri, the head of the General Authority for Audio-visual Media, to ensure that his broadcast did not violate any laws. This prompted al-Suhaimi to send Osseiri a message ordering her to stay out of the case.

According to a letter from the Royal Court published during the reign of the late Saudi King Abdullah, al-Suhaimi’s committee enjoys independence from the general audiovisual authorities.

Al-Muzaini says his interrogator told him “not to think that’s it, but that there is entertainment now, that the Riyadh season has begun,” referring to recent developments in the Saudi entertainment industry and the easing of restrictions.

“It seems he has found in me a person over whom he can exercise his authority,” al-Muzaini said in the video.

The accusations against al-Muzaini include the use of linguistic devices in his series. For example, sentences such as “God curse you” and “you donkey” are punishable.

The last and most serious accusation is that al-Muzaini and his company Myrcott are supporting terrorism and homosexuality with their Masameer series.

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According to Al-Muzaini, his accusers interpreted the first episode of his show, which mocked the Islamic State, as implicit support for the group.

Al-Suhaimi then presented a series of tweets from al-Muzaini from 2010 to 2014 that were used to make further charges against him.

The Saudi Arabian public prosecutor had initially demanded a 25-year prison sentence and then a 25-year travel ban. The country’s terrorism court reduced the sentences to 13 years each last month.

Al-Muzaini said that before the verdict, he was assured by informed people that the case was unworthy and would have to be resolved only through bureaucracy. He was also told that al-Suhaimi had been dismissed along with all those who had signed the accusations against him, while al-Suhaimi had simply been assigned to another committee.

The author and producer deleted his video a few hours after it was published and published a post on X in which he quoted Bin Salman as saying that he would hold the corrupt to account.

He then shared a post praising the head of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, Turki al-Sheikh.

Al-Muzaini’s case comes at a time when Saudi Arabia is being criticized by numerous human rights organizations for allegedly trying to use the entertainment sector to undermine its reputation as an authoritarian regime.