RIYADH: The Ministry of Health (MoH) has denied social media reports that a health official was involved in a major fraud in the health directorate in Makkah.
Social media websites fabricated a story that a senior official of the MoH was involved in financial fraud and irregularities during the last Haj pilgrimage. It was alleged that the amount involved in the misappropriation was SR500,000.
Abdul Wahab Al-Shelabi, spokesman of the Directorate General of Health Affairs in Makkah, categorically declared that no MoH official was involved in such scandals in the Makkah region. “There is no truth whatsoever in such allegations in news reports,” he stressed, advising people to check facts and figures before they publish news on electronic and print media in the Kingdom.
Al-Shelabi said the MoH reserves the right to take legal action under defamation laws to punish rumor mongers who abuse social media for their own ends and to mislead members of the public.
Victims of defamation, through social media networks, including videoclips, Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter and Instagram, can file a complaint with the police station located within the jurisdiction of the victim’s area of residence, according to a local attorney.
According to Saeed Al-Omari, the penalty has been codified within the provisions of Article III, paragraph 5 of the new law with imprisonment not exceeding one year or a fine not exceeding SR500,000 or both.
He explained that from there the case will be forwarded to the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution for investigation.
“Article IX, paragraph 4 of the Press and Publication Law has banned abusing the dignity of people and their freedom, blackmail or damage to their reputation or brand names,” he said.
“The issue can be addressed through the primary committees and committees of appeal, based on the rules of the relevant committees to consider the violations of the provisions of the Press and Publication Law.”
Meanwhile, the libel court in the Kingdom disclosed a fall in the number of defamation cases last year from 376 to 317, while the capital remained at the top of the cities for the second year in a row, according to a report.
Riyadh courts recorded 151 defamation cases over the past year, with 47 percent of the total cases compared to136 defamation cases last year.
Tabuk took second place in terms of the number of defamation cases with 32 cases, or 9.5 percent of the total number of cases.
Social media websites fabricated a story that a senior official of the MoH was involved in financial fraud and irregularities during the last Haj pilgrimage. It was alleged that the amount involved in the misappropriation was SR500,000.
Abdul Wahab Al-Shelabi, spokesman of the Directorate General of Health Affairs in Makkah, categorically declared that no MoH official was involved in such scandals in the Makkah region. “There is no truth whatsoever in such allegations in news reports,” he stressed, advising people to check facts and figures before they publish news on electronic and print media in the Kingdom.
Al-Shelabi said the MoH reserves the right to take legal action under defamation laws to punish rumor mongers who abuse social media for their own ends and to mislead members of the public.
Victims of defamation, through social media networks, including videoclips, Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter and Instagram, can file a complaint with the police station located within the jurisdiction of the victim’s area of residence, according to a local attorney.
According to Saeed Al-Omari, the penalty has been codified within the provisions of Article III, paragraph 5 of the new law with imprisonment not exceeding one year or a fine not exceeding SR500,000 or both.
He explained that from there the case will be forwarded to the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution for investigation.
“Article IX, paragraph 4 of the Press and Publication Law has banned abusing the dignity of people and their freedom, blackmail or damage to their reputation or brand names,” he said.
“The issue can be addressed through the primary committees and committees of appeal, based on the rules of the relevant committees to consider the violations of the provisions of the Press and Publication Law.”
Meanwhile, the libel court in the Kingdom disclosed a fall in the number of defamation cases last year from 376 to 317, while the capital remained at the top of the cities for the second year in a row, according to a report.
Riyadh courts recorded 151 defamation cases over the past year, with 47 percent of the total cases compared to136 defamation cases last year.
Tabuk took second place in terms of the number of defamation cases with 32 cases, or 9.5 percent of the total number of cases.
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