RIYADG – Saudi Arabia will punish online satire that “disrupts publicorder” with up to five years in prison, the public prosecutor said Tuesday,as the kingdom cracks down on dissent.

“Producing and distributing content that ridicules, mocks, provokes anddisrupts public order, religious values and public morals through socialmedia … will be considered a cybercrime punishable by a maximum of fiveyears in prison and a fine of three million riyals ($800,000),” the publicprosecution tweeted late Monday.

The kingdom s powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has drawn harshcriticism from rights groups over the targeting of human rights activistsand political dissidents across the spectrum since his appointment in June2017.

Saudi Arabia s legislation on cybercrime has sparked concern amonginternational rights groups in the past.

Dozens of Saudi citizens have been convicted on charges linked to dissentunder a previous sweeping law, particularly linked to posts on Twitter.

In September 2017, authorities issued a public call for citizens to reporton the social media activities of their fellow citizens, under a broaddefinition of “terrorist” crimes.

Saudi Arabia s public prosecutor on Tuesday also announced it was seekingthe death penalty in the case against Sheikh Salman al-Awda, a prominentIslamist cleric arrested last year along with 20 others. – APP/AFP