Ex-Saudi footballer arrested over online criticism

Former Saudi international and Al-Nassr FC player, Fahd Al-Harifi, has been arrested on the orders of the Saudi Public Prosecution over a tweet he made on Friday criticising the Ministry of Interior’s restrictions amid the coronavirus pandemic in the city of Jeddah, which include the suspension of the Saudi football league.

مصدر مسؤول في وزارة الداخلية :
تقرر إعادة تشديد الاحترازات الصحية في مدينة جدة لمدة 15 يومًا ، ابتداء من يوم غد السبت . pic.twitter.com/6wPmV8vhnM

— وزارة الداخلية (@MOISaudiArabia) June 5, 2020

Al-Harifi also took shot at rival club Al-Hilal, stating: “With these words and these statements, I do not rule out the return of the league, Al-Hilal got used to everything, even if it was life or death”. The remarks were seen as suggesting the ministry’s move favoured Al-Hilal which is set to win the league, with Al-Nassr currently in second place.

According to reports, the administration of Al-Hilal filed a complaint against him to the Public Prosecution which led to his arrest.

However, following his brief detainment, the incriminating post was deleted and an apology was posted and maintained that the intention was to highlight the importance of the precautionary measures by the Ministry of Interior.

غردت مساء البارح
بتغريدة كنت قاصداً فيها أن جميع الإجراءات الإحترازية الصادرة من وزارة الداخلية
هي الأهم.
وهناك من فهمها بشكل آخرولذلك أزلتها في حينها وأعتذر لعدم إيضاحي لمقصدي بالعبارات الصحيحه

اللهم اكشف الغمّة عن هذه الأمّة، وأدم على هذه البلاد أمنها وأمانها

#فهد_الهريفي

— فهد الهريفي (@Fahadalhurifi) June 6, 2020

“There are those who understood it otherwise, and that is why I removed it at the time, and I apologise for not making my point clear in the correct phrases,” he added.

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