Saudi Arabia Monitors its Lawyers Tweets  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Saudi Arabia is monitoring tweets by lawyers – to ensure that they don't break laws. “Offending” lawyers are subjected to punishment according to the severity of their tweets, a Saudi official stated.
Speaking to Arabic-daily Al Sharq, Ministry of Justice spokesman Fahad Al Barkan said all lawyers are being monitored for their “behaviour and interests.” He added:
There isn't a special desk charged with monitoring lawyers, but we monitor their tweets and what they discuss related to certain cases when they break the law.
He added that punishment varied from a reprimand to a warning, to the withdrawal of their license.
On Twitter, Saudi netizens retaliate under the Arabic hashtag #العدل_تراقب_تغريدات_المحامين, which translates to, the Ministry of Justice is Monitoring Lawyers’ Tweets.
Essam Al Zamil describes the Saudi Ministry of Justice as one of the worst ministries in his country. He tweets [ar]:
وزارة العدل – أحد أفشل الوزارات – بدل أن تتفرغ لتحسين أدائها السيء. تسخر وقتها لمتابعة مايقوله المحامين بتويتر#العدل_تراقب_تغريدات_المحامين
— عصام الزامل (@essamz) September 9, 2013
The Ministry of Justice – one of the worst ministries – instead of focusing on improving its bad performance is spending its time to monitor what lawyers say on Twitter
Khalid Al Babtain adds:
ما يطرح في تويتر من المحامين لا يستحق المراقبة بقدر  ما يستحق المتابعة لغرض الإفادة والاستفادة ..#العدل_تراقب_تغريدات_المحامين
— خالد البابطين (@Albabtaink) September 9, 2013
What the lawyers tweet about doesn't warrant monitoring. Instead, they should follow up on the cases and issues being raised and benefit and help [solve cases]
Saudi lawyer Badr Al Naqethan tweets:
تصريح أحمق للمتحدث الرسمي ل #وزارة_العدل. مسيء للمحامين ولسمعة المملكة ويجب ألا يمر مرور الكرام. موعدنا ٩ مساء#العدل_تراقب_تغريدات_المحامين
— بندر النقيثان (@SaudiLawyer) September 9, 2013
It's a ridiculous statement by the official spokesman for the Ministry of Justice. It is bad for the reputation of lawyers and the Kingdom [of Saudi Arabia] and should not be allowed to pass. Our meeting is at 9pm
And Mohamed Al Ebrahim responds to his tweet:
@SaudiLawyer يا أخي أنتم المحامين من يحمينا باستخدام القانون من بطش انتهاكات النظام، إذا بتخافون بعد من بيبقى بالبلد؟  وش بيتحول البلد؟
— محمد الابراهيم  (@mo8el) September 9, 2013
If you as lawyers, who use the law to protect us from the brutality of the regime, are afraid, what is left in their country? What will this country turn to?
Ibrahim Al Dossary reckons that lawyers are being bullied, to deter them from creating awareness among people about their rights. He writes:
#العدل_تراقب_تغريدات_المحامين لماذا الخوف من تغريدات المحامين (لأن المحامي يقوم بتوعية المواطنين بحقوقهم)
— إبراهيم الدوسري (@dosssaryi) September 9, 2013
Why are they afraid of the tweets of lawyers? Because lawyers make people aware of their rights
Sultan Altass says the lack of a union for lawyers is what makes lawyers vulnerable in Saudi Arabia:
لو كان للمحامين نقابة مهنية تصون حقوقهم وتدافع عنهم لما تجرأت وزارة العدل على تهديدهم..#العدل_تراقب_تغريدات_المحامين
— Sultan Altass (@Makkaawi) September 9, 2013
If the lawyers had a professional union to protect their rights and defend them, the Ministry of Justice would not have dared threaten them
Abdulla Aljebreen wonders:
#العدل_تراقب_تغريدات_المحامين:أي بشرهؤلأوفي عالم يعيشون الشعوب الحية سبقتنا الى اطلاق العنان للفكر الحروهؤلأ يسعون الى اغتيال الكلمة الحره
— عبد الله علي الجبرين (@Aljebreen_) September 9, 2013
What kind of people are those and what world do they live in? Nations have long allowed for free thought and they are assassinating the free word
And Einstain-Arab jokes:
يجب على إخواننا المحامين توخي الحيطه والحذر أثناء التغريد.كما نوصيهم بالإكثار من المديح والثناء على وزير العدل #العدل_تراقب_تغريدات_المحامين
— اينشتاين العربي (@einstain_arab) September 9, 2013
Lawyers should take precautions while tweeting. We also advise them to commend and flatter the Minister of Justice in their tweets