First fame then arrest for Saudi teen who chatted up US girl

[webfact]

First fame then arrest for Saudi teen who chatted up US girl

By AYA BATRAWY

 

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — When a teenager in Saudi Arabia began chatting up an American woman online, he first found fame and then notoriety before he was arrested over concerns that his clumsy cyber flirtation violated the kingdom's conservative norms.

 

The teenager, known only by his online name of 'Abu Sin,' a reference to his crooked teeth, speaks almost no English. Christina Crockett, a 21-year-old vlogger from California, speaks no Arabic.

 

Even so, they managed to create goofy, light-hearted videos in which they appear fascinated by one another. The spectacle of the two trying to communicate attracted millions of viewers both inside the kingdom and abroad. As a result, Abu Sin shot to fame on the livestreaming site YouNow, receiving nearly 6.5 million views of his videos.

 

In one of their most-watched videos from YouNow, Abu Sin tells Crockett: "I am Saudi Arabia." Wearing a low-cut tank top, she smiles and responds with a flick of her blonde hair: "That's cool, I'm America."

 

Throughout the conversation, he periodically blurts out in Arabic, "what's she saying!?" Appearing nervous and excited, he later offers her some of the few English words he knows, proclaiming: "I love you too. I love you too. I love you too."

 

She tells him: "Aw, I don't even know what you're saying, but I love you so much."

 

Their exchanges took on extra significance in Saudi Arabia, where unrelated men and women seldom see one another. Almost all public spaces are gender segregated and most women cover their face, hair and bodies in billowing black cloth.

 

While the conversations appear harmless, Saudi media outlets say the teen was detained late last month for "unethical behavior" due to the videos. Footage posted online on Sept. 25 purports to show his arrest, and Abu Sin's YouNow site, on which he used to post almost daily, had not been updated for 13 days.

 

In Saudi Arabia, where the internet has become the preferred forum for young Saudis to meet and express themselves, his arrest sparked mixed reactions.

 

Abu Sin's videos could constitute a violation of the country's cybercrime law, which prohibits producing material that harms public order, morals or religious values, according to lawyer Abdulrahman al-Lahem. He may also be found in contempt of the kingdom's sometimes unyielding interpretation of Islamic law. Al-Lahem was quoted in the Saudi newspaper, Okaz, as saying the teenager could consequently face between one and three years in prison.

 

In comments to the Saudi Gazette daily, Riyadh Police spokesman Col. Fawaz Al-Mayman said Crockett and Abu Sin made "enticing videos" that "became famous and received negative attention." He said police had received requests from the Saudi public demanding Abu Sin be punished. After his arrest, the case was forwarded to the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution, al-Mayman said.

 

The Interior Ministry did not immediately respond to an Associated Press request for further details on the case. Abu Sin's real name has not been made public. Al-Mayman said he is 19 years old.

 

The Saudi daily Arab News wrote that people in the kingdom argue the teenager deserves to be tried because his videos "made people laugh (at us)." In an op-ed for the pan-Arab Asharq al-Awsat newspaper, prominent Saudi commentator Mishari al-Thaidy said the incident raised serious questions about how young people in the kingdom are being raised.

 

Yet in an editorial published Sunday, Arab News wrote that if Abu Sin was indeed arrested based on the demands of public opinion, then "let it be known that this published opinion believes Abu Sin should be released ... and given his own television show!"

 

"When did being 'silly' ever become a crime?" the editorial continued.

 

Crockett released a video saying she doesn't really understand the situation in Saudi Arabia, but that many people are blaming her as the reason for his arrest.

 

"Obviously, I think this whole situation is totally crazy and unfair, but I don't feel I should be getting any hate for this because I have no control over it," she said. "It's not my fault that it went viral. It's not my fault that he got this fame from it or that I got it. Neither of us asked for it."

 

-- © Associated Press 2016-10-05

[TVGerry]

Allahu Akbar.

 

I pity the people who are born and are forced to stay in that bunghole of a country.

 

[nikmar]

30 minutes ago, TVGerry said:

Allahu Akbar.

 

I pity the people who are born and are forced to stay in that bunghole of a country.

 

If I lived there, i would pray 5 times a day as well.

[ballpoint]

34 minutes ago, TVGerry said:

Allahu Akbar.

 

I pity the people who are born and are forced to stay in that bunghole of a country.

 

Yes, they should all get up and move to Europe.

[kotsak]

 

[halloween]

1 hour ago, nikmar said:

If I lived there, i would pray 5 times a day as well.

I don't think it was praying he was doing 5 times per day.

[charmonman]

16 hours ago, webfact said:

The Saudi daily Arab News wrote that people in the kingdom argue the teenager deserves to be tried because his videos "made people laugh (at us)." In an op-ed for the pan-Arab Asharq al-Awsat newspaper, prominent Saudi commentator Mishari al-Thaidy said the incident raised serious questions about how young people in the kingdom are being raised.

 

It's not the teenager who made people laugh at you, it's the idiotic religious fundamentalist <deleted> that run the place that make you look ridiculous. It's your whole insane and stupid culture that makes you laughable. This teenager is simply a normal 19 year old human heterosexual male - at least as much as he can be, having grown up in your sick joke of a country.

[Hayduke]

The wise, pious, divinely inspired Saudis should realize, with their typical clarity of thought and nobility of purpose, that the poor kid is just an innocent victim of the Great Satan.

Authorizing him to file a trillion dollar lawsuit against the US government for the corruption of his morality, virtue and religious purity would be a much more reasonable course of action.

Edited October 6, 2016 by Hayduke

[KKr]

Define breaking the Law under Sharia, and you will get the answer whether he should be in court or not.
One of the problems being that Sharia was written many centuries ago, when the world was a different place, and thus interpretations can vary widely.
Such interpretations are often depending on the convictions, power and persuasiveness to the local Mullah. Dress code (for men as well as women by the way) being the most visible example. The Koran says that when seeing someone inappropriately dressed one should lower the gaze. Some Mullahs say that women should cover up from head to toe.
Maybe the young Saudi did not brake the Law and should not be in court, or maybe he broke the local Law and will get a reprimand, a fine, some caning and/or jail time.
Future will tell.

Edited October 6, 2016 by KKr

[TPI]

Damn them for poisoning the youth of Saudi Arabia, they should have cut to photos of olives or or camels or or falcons or other righteous icons!! Praise to the Moon Goddess of Arabia! (Islam)

Edited October 6, 2016 by TPI

[NickJ]

If that kid got anywhere near that girl in real life it would get pretty ugly real fast.

[crankshaft]

She be a hottie...

[jacko45k]

He is just a little kid.

[Steely Dan]

The religious police are gonna explain it's another sort of camel toe he should be looking at.


Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect

[Chicog]

Quote

The Saudi daily Arab News wrote that people in the kingdom argue the teenager deserves to be tried because his videos "made people laugh (at us)." 

 

Oh dear, we were laughing at you way before young Mo discovered Youtube you morons.

 

 

[Baerboxer]

When I lived in KSA the weekend paper usually had several stories of the religious police being "tipped off" about a teenage unmarried couple secretly meeting without family escorts. These young people would be arrested and taken away. Then after explaining carefully why they were doing wrong, it would be strongly suggested that they should consider getting married. And the state would provide some quite nice cash and other incentives to help them.

 

I read so many articles like that. And many claimed the couples agreed. 

 

A very very different world to the one most of us consider normal.

[lumply]

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

He is just a little kid.

 

If that was a genuine response, then being a little kid should never be given as an excuse for bad behaviour in any culture

[Credo]

I have a feeling that no matter what they do to this kid, it was going to have been worth it.  I am sure this is providing him with hours and hours of enjoyment.   

 

His new nickname should probably be crooked teeth and sticky finger.   

[DerringDo]

He is called Abu Sin because of his crooked teeth.

[balo]

She is a cute girl,  I can understand the Saudis who never met any woman face to face  except their mother.  

 

[ableguy]

On 10/5/2016 at 3:44 PM, nikmar said:

If I lived there, i would pray 5 times a day as well.

It does not do them any good ?

[Bob9]

There is a lesson in this that many Expats visiting and living in Thailand need to remember, you are not living in a country that has the same rules and cultural norms as Abu Sin, but this country does have rules that you need to accept - even if you dont like them.  And likewise, the rules and cultural norms of both Thailand and Saudi Arabia are not going to be changed, because some Expats complain about them on TV. 

 

I only say this (besides to respond to those bigots abusing another country's rules and norms and the people who live there), because it will probably not be too long before one of you is arrested and charged (and detained) for breaking Thailand's laws related to computer activities and on-line behaviors. The owners and moderators on TV have done the right thing for some time now, and everyone has been warned - and many posts have been deleted. And I am not talking about the Govt or the King  - I am talking about laws related to the defamation and abuse of anyone in Thailand.

 

And I read it a lot each day - if you write/say something on the internet that you know is read by a lot of people in Thailand that is against the 'rules', then you can be arrested and detained. Right now they are clamping done on other people 's use of the internet - it wont be long before they turn their attention to TV posters. I have seen many posts that would be judged as abusive and critical of Thai people - and that is illegal (in this country) - whether true or not.

 

And if you think you are 'hidden' behind gmail and vpns - think again. 

 

 

[starky]

I dont know these Saudis might be on to something. The homepage of her instagram account clearly shows a picture of her pussy 

[nausea]

He's a hero, right. Do his time, come out. I don't see how this is going to do him any harm in the patriarchical Saudi society. 

[jacko45k]

21 hours ago, lumply said:

 

If that was a genuine response, then being a little kid should never be given as an excuse for bad behaviour in any culture

I agree the smoking and behaviour are bad, but I hardly feel he deserves arrest. The bimbo is more the problem flashing herself, her behaviour is also poor.

Edited October 7, 2016 by jacko45k