Why has this Netflix show creator been sentenced to a prison term? What did he do in Saudi Arabia?

A Saudi television creator named Abdulaziz Almuzaini whose animated show on OTT platform Netflix has won laurels is now facing the prospects of a long prison term on the charges of terrorism. His animated series on Netflix is known for breaking social taboos related to the kingdom. However, an anti-terrorism court deemed certain tweets of his to be an act of terror and has now sentenced him to a prison term. This has raised concerns among various human rights groups who have called for his unconditional release. He had recently secured a contract from Netflix to work on his content which is popular across the world.

Masameer County:

This first episode of this debuted in 2021. It is considered to be a humorous show on the changing Saudi society. It contained references to the infighting between various tribes in Saudi Arabia, Islamic militancy and even homosexuality. The kingdom has severe punishment for what it terms as the ‘offense’ of homosexuality.

Conviction:

It was earlier reported that Saudi Arabia’s Specialized Criminal Court had sentenced Almuzaini to 13 years in prison and another 13 years of travel ban. The authorities took cognizance of his tweets which were shared on social media platform X almost a decade back. He had tweeted about Saudi Arabia, its society and was seen to be mocking the country. He believes that it was just humor and nothing else. He is a known supporter of women’s rights.

Specialized Criminal Court:

This court was set up in 2008 to try suspects accused of terrorism and many members of terror groups such as the Al Qaeda were prosecuted by these courts for offenses related to terrorism. Activists are shocked that he has been convicted for an offense as grave as terrorism for just sharing this humorous take on various issues on social media.

Appeal to the Saudi Crown Prince:

Abdulaziz Almuzaini has appealed to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to forgive his transgressions. He appealed to the prince and asked him to grant justice to a citizen who has been wronged.

FAQs
What is Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman known for?
The Crown Prince took over in 2017. He has introduced many reforms in recent times which are being considered to be liberal. He has permitted the women in the kingdom to take up driving.

Does Abdulaziz Almuzaini have an animation company?
He did have an animation studio named Myrkott Animation Studio. It has apparently been shut down due to pressure from the Saudi authorities.