RIYADH – Maj. Gen. Mansour Al-Turki, spokesman for the Ministry of Interior, has dismissed reportsthat the ministry set up an online complaint form to receive notices about malicious remarks and comments directed against users on the Internet. “The ministry has not made any similar announcements.” As for cybercrime complaints, there are online forms at the ministry's e-gate which can be used to report a cybercrime such as hacking, extortion, blackmailing and personal insults, Maj. Gen. Al-Turki pointed out. “These services have been in place for several months.” The Kingdom's cyber laws aim at combating cyber crimes by identifying such crimes and determining their punishments to ensure enhancement of information security, protection of rights pertaining to the legitimate use of computers and information networks, protection of public interest, morals and common values and protection of the national economy. The laws criminalize those who are involved in the construction or publicizing of a website used by terrorist organizations to facilitate communication with leaders or members, finance them, promote their ideologies, publicize methods of making incendiary devices or explosives, or any other means used in terrorist activities. The law stipulates that any person found guilty of any of these crimes shall be subject to imprisonment for a period not exceeding 10 years and a fine not exceeding SR5 million.
