A recently filed lawsuit has made shocking allegations against Twitter, accusing the social media giant of actively participating in a “Saudi criminal enterprise” by providing names and personal data of political dissidents to the Saudi Arabian government. The lawsuit claims that a group of former Twitter employees disclosed the identities of dissidents, enabling Saudi agents to carry out kidnappings, torture, and the expansion of the kingdom’s international surveillance network. The defendants argue that Twitter’s security failures allowed paid informants to access sensitive company information, putting the lives of dissidents in danger. The suit further claims that Twitter violated its own policies and became a tool for “transnational repression” to silence dissenting voices.
At the center of the lawsuit is Abdulrahman Al-Sadhan, a Saudi-born individual who was allegedly kidnapped, tortured, and arrested in 2018 for operating an anonymous Twitter account critical of the Saudi royal family. It is estimated that around 6,000 users, including Abdulrahman, had their personal data handed over to Saudi Arabian agents by former Twitter employees who were working on behalf of the government. These employees reportedly received substantial sums of money and luxurious gifts in exchange for providing IP addresses, birthdates, and other personal information of individuals critical of the royal family. One of the former employees, Ahmad Abouammo, has already been convicted and sentenced to three and a half years in prison for espionage.
Abdulrahman Al-Sadhan’s sister, Areej Al-Sadhan, who filed the lawsuit on behalf of herself and her brother, accuses Twitter of violating its terms and conditions by disclosing her brother’s identifying information to the Saudi government. She asserts that this act has put every Twitter user at risk. Areej claims that since speaking out about the case, she has become the target of online harassment from Saudi agents, who have openly stalked her, threatened her life, and turned her existence into a “living nightmare.” She remains unsure about her brother’s well-being, as she has not heard from him since 2021.
The lawsuit, filed under federal racketeering statutes, highlights the grave implications of tech companies cooperating with oppressive regimes and the risks faced by individuals who exercise their right to freedom of expression. As the legal battle unfolds, it raises important questions about the responsibility of social media platforms to protect the privacy and safety of their users, especially in countries with a track record of human rights abuses.
