Saudi jailed for five years for 'offending royal court'

By Ahmed el-Masri

DOHA, Qatar (AA) - A Saudi court on Thursday slapped a Saudi citizen with a travel ban and five years behind bars for “offending the [Saudi] royal court” in a television interview, the official Al-Ekhbariya TV channel reported.

While the broadcaster did not give the name of the sentenced individual, a number of Saudi online activists have identified him as Saleh al-Shehi, a writer for Saudi daily Al-Watan.

In televised comments on Dec. 8, al-Shehi described Saudi government institutions -- including the royal court -- as “sources of administrative corruption and very bad behavior”.

Notably, since making the comments, al-Shehi has not used his Twitter account or had any articles published in Al-Watan.