Saudi fan faces the music for defaming crooner on Twitter

A Saudi youth has been punished for defaming a Kuwaiti singer with false allegations of immoral conduct.
The Riyadh Criminal Court sentenced the man to three month in jail, 80 lashes and a fine of SR10,000 for posting insulting accusations against the singer Shams with photos on his Twitter and Facebook pages. The accused was on bail since August.
While the defendant said he would appeal the lower court’s verdict, Shams’ attorney said she would appeal the court’s decision because the punishment was light compared to the enormity of the man’s crime.
Shams wrote on her Twitter page that the defendant was using the ID “Ahlam’s Attorney” claiming that he used to represent the singer Ahlam on many occasions. The Arab singer Ahlam is from the UAE.
Shams added on her account that she would monitor the defamation proceedings against three other Ahlam fans.
She expressed her total trust in the Saudi judiciary and said that Ahlam would not succeed in influencing Saudi judges with insinuations against her (Shams).
Following the Kuwaiti singer’s defamation suit, the Malaz police arrested the Saudi man residing in Riyadh.
The youth accused Shams of committing adultery and posted fake photos to support his charge. Shams accused the man of trying to provoke some tribes to murder her.
While pronouncing the judgment, the court observed that the defendant could not produce any reliable proof to substantiate his accusations.
Tweeps welcomed the ruling as a sign that the police would offer protection against online predators.