A Saudi court sentenced a Sudanese journalist to four years in prison on June 8 over social media posts critical of the kingdom, Human Rights Watch reported.

The organization's statement on Tuesday said that Ahmed Ali Abdel Qader, 31, was accused of "offending some state institutions and symbols" and "talking negatively about the kingdom's policy."

The organization indicated that the charges are linked to tweets and media interviews he posted on Twitter, in which he expressed his support for the "Sudan Revolution 2018-2019" while criticizing Saudi Arabia's actions in Sudan and Yemen.

"A media prison on fabricated charges shows the negativity of Saudi Arabia's policies more than anything else Ahmed Ali Abdel Qader has published," said Michael Page, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch.

"This prosecution and others demonstrate the determination of the Saudi authorities to stamp out the slightest criticism or even discussion on social media, and deter all dissidents under the threat of long prison terms," he added.

Human Rights Watch reported that Saudi authorities arrested Abdul Qadir when he arrived at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah on April 19, and initially detained him at a police station in Jeddah for 20 days before transferring him to Shumaisi prison near Mecca.

Abdel-Qader has been denied access to a lawyer, including at his trial, according to the organization.

The organization quoted what it described as a "source familiar with the case" as saying that the trial consisted of two short sessions, while the judge denied him the opportunity to defend himself.

Abdul Qader worked in Saudi Arabia for five years between 2015 and 2020, but returned to the kingdom on a new work visa in April and was arrested upon arrival.

The organization stated, "A criminal court in Jeddah sentenced him on the basis of tweets and statements he made to the media during and after February 2018, most of which were published while he was in Saudi Arabia, in addition to his electronic correspondence with major international human rights organizations in which he inquired about membership, through which he participated in bulletins. information and receive it.

"Human Rights Watch reviewed nine media tweets and interviews that were explicitly mentioned in the court ruling, and concluded that they do not incite violence, hatred, or discrimination."