Saudi journalist arrested for criticising Sports Authority chairman

The Prisoners of Conscience Twitter account which reports on political prisoners in Saudi Arabia said authorities in the Kingdom have arrested Al-Watan newspaper journalist, Abdullah Al-Aqil, for criticising the policies of Chairman of the General Sports Authority, Turki Al-Sheikh.

According to the group, Al-Aqil has also been banned from writing for Al-Watan newspaper for six months as a result.

In response, the journalist wrote on Twitter: “I criticised the situation of sports in Saudi Arabia with a sarcastic joke and I was stopped from writing for six months because his highness [Al- Sheikh] did not like the criticism!”

Al-Aqil has previously commented on the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi saying: “A person like Saud Al-Qahtani [advisor to Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman] with all his absolute powers has harmed the king, the crown prince and the entire people, he and all those like him should be held accountable.”

Read: Saudi Arabia ‘arrests’ Makkah imam over talk on ‘evil-doers’