Saudi filmmaker jailed for 13 years for allegedly 'promoting' homosexuality in his Netflix series

A Saudi producer and writer Abdulaziz Al Muzaini has revealed that he was sentenced to 13 years in prison and a 13-year travel ban for promoting terrorism and homosexuality through his Netflix series and old tweets by a Saudi court some two years ago.

In a video posted on YouTube and X (formerly Twitter) on June 26, Al-Muzaini addressed the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman Al Saud and said that in 2021, the audiovisual commission had filed up to 30 charges against him and his company Myrkott Animation Studio, after they secured an exclusive contract with Netflix to broadcast his popular animated series Masameer.

Al-Muzaini further explained in the video that there were persistent threats from the Director of Violations Control at the General Authority for Audiovisual Media, Saad Al-Suhaimi. He mistreated him and exhibited unprofessional behaviour.

Al-Suhaimi criticized Myrkott’s contract with Netflix and its refusal to contract with Middle East Broadcasting Center (MBC), a Saudi network.

However, the video was deleted just hours after being posted and a new video was shared by Al-Muzaini in which he praised the head of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, Turki al-Sheikh.

Al-Muzaini faces charges for insults, terrorism, homosexuality, and tweets from 2010-2014.

He allegedly faced questioning and criticism for choosing Netflix over local networks. Some of the allegations against Al-Muzaini include the usage of certain phrases in his series, such as “May God curse you” and “You donkey,” considered to be criminal offenses.

Amid the charges, Al-Muzaini has had to stop his company operations and terminate the contracts of his employees.

He said that his accusers have wrongly interpreted the first episode of his show, which mocks the Islamic State, as an endorsement of the group.

A total of 25 years imprisonment and a travel ban were demanded by Saudi Arabia’s Public Prosecution Service which were reduced to 13 years each by the country’s Terrorism Court.

The country’s Supreme Court is currently hearing the case.