A Saudi expert answers: Is using a VPN in Saudi Arabia legal or illegal? Is the fine half a million and imprisonment?

Saudi expert and Dr. Hizam bin Saud Al-Subaie said that using a VPN in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is legal.

According to Al-Subaie, there is no text in the Saudi system for combating cybercrimes yet that criminalizes the use of VPN programs. The intent stipulated by the Saudi legislator in Paragraph (3) of Article Three of the Anti-Cybercrime Law since its issuance is (illegal) entry into systems for the purpose of espionage, eavesdropping, sabotage, or other damage.

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Recently, controversy arose about the legality of using VPN programs after the increase in downloads of the VPN application provided by Cloudflare and the Saudi STC blocking the application.

Expert Hizam Al-Subaie’s tweet:

I received an inquiry

Is it true what is being reported that using VPN programs to bypass blocks is illegal and is considered a violation of the Anti-Cybercrime Law under Paragraph (3) of Article Three of the Law? Which includes imprisonment for a period of one year and a fine of up to five hundred thousand riyals, or both.

The answer

I worked and still work as a consultant to some legal offices in information crimes cases.

I know that there are legal constants:

The point is in adapting the system to its true essence and purpose, not to what the opponents attribute to it.

The issues to which the system applies are “exclusive,” and that the statutory texts may not be analogized or expanded upon in their interpretation.

Therefore, there is no “text” in the Saudi system “yet” that criminalizes the use of VPN programs. The intent stipulated by the Saudi legislator in Paragraph (3) of Article Three of the system since its issuance is (illegal) entry into systems for the purpose of espionage, eavesdropping, sabotage, or other damage.

However, I agree that some VPN applications are harmful to the privacy of your information. Knowing that VPN is not the only technology to bypass blocking.

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