Netflix Series Creator Sentenced in Saudi Arabia

An American-Saudi animator who signed a deal with Netflix says he faces decades in prison in Saudi Arabia because of his art. Abdulaziz Almuzaini, the man behind Masameera cartoon compared to South Parkand a Netflix spin-off series Masameer Countywas publicly celebrated by the kingdom, with his sardonic caricatures. But behind closed doors, the Texas-born designer was convicted of supporting extremist ideology, sentenced to 13 years in prison and banned from leaving Saudi Arabia for another 13 years, the Justice Department said. New York Times He said his case was “the most striking example of the duality of the new Saudi Arabia,” which focuses on promoting art and granting more personal freedoms while repressing freedom of expression at the same time.

“I have not committed any crime in the kingdom. I have not even run a red light,” Almuzaini said in a video shared and deleted the same day last week. He pleaded for help from Saudi leaders, saying he had exhausted all avenues of appeal and was awaiting a final decision from the Saudi Supreme Court. He appears to have remained free even after the video was deleted, which is odd given his conviction. But Almuzaini is no ordinary person. He is credited with helping to bring Saudi content to a global audience, according to the online news site. the wall street journalEven after his conviction, he attended a state gala and promoted the country's film industry on state television, indicating that he had some value to the leadership, Times reports.

Always, Masamune, a cartoon that first appeared on YouTube more than a decade ago, criticizes religious restrictions, the class system, and discriminatory practices against women in Saudi Arabia. Additionally, Almuzaini claimed that a 2021 episode of Masameer Countyin which the main character is captured by jihadists and joins the Islamic State, has been interpreted as support for the terrorist group, although the episode is actually “openly derogatory towards jihadists”, Times Prosecutors also apparently found flaws in old social media posts in which Almuzaini “ridiculed Arab regimes,” according to the NewspaperThe host said authorities assured him the case was blown out of proportion and that everything would be resolved. “I never thought the case would reach this stage,” he said. (More articles on Saudi Arabia.)