The American sister of Abdulrahman al-Sadhan, a Saudi aid worker who was imprisoned for his satirical Twitter account, is concerned about Saudi Arabia’s influence on Twitter as the country expands its presence in culture and sports. Areej al-Sadhan accused Twitter of responsibility for her brother’s arrest, torture, and imprisonment after Saudi agents discovered his anonymous account. Areej has filed a lawsuit accusing Twitter of being “a tool of transnational repression” by improperly revealing Abdulrahman’s identity to Saudi officials. Twitter responded to the allegations with an automated email response featuring a poop emoji. Saudi Arabia is a major shareholder in Twitter and has been accused of pressuring the company to reveal its critics’ identities. Areej’s lawsuit alleges that Twitter’s complicity led to her brother’s kidnapping, torture, and imprisonment. The Saudi government has declined to comment on the matter.
As PGA Tour merges with Saudi cultural investment, sister of jailed Saudi aid worker speaks up about Twitter account
