Deputy Head of the Youth Council in the Eastern Province Abdul Aziz Al-Jawhar said the possession and storage of child pornography represents 76 percent of cybercrime cases in Saudi Arabia with 19 percent of them involving indecent videos, Al-Hayat newspaper reported. He said 2.65 million pornographic websites were blocked in Saudi Arabia during last five years. Al-Jawhar said 23 percent of visitors to pornographic websites are women and girls under 18. Talking at an interactive session entitled "IT Crimes: To Where" organized by the NGO Committee for Social Development in cooperation with Al-Ahsa Chamber, Al-Jawhar said 82 percent of sex crimes on the Internet are aimed at children. He said 75 percent of victims of electronic crimes are children and young people between 10 and 16 years, 18 percent of the children are exposed to harassment online and 66 percent suffered cyber abuse accidentally, while 44 percent watched the videos intentionally and 18 percent used the Internet for sexual activity. He also said 10 percent Saudi children between the ages of 12 and 13 are addicted to pornography. The official called on young girls and boys to immediately dispose of pornographic films and videos as storing them in computers and hand-held devices are crimes punishable by law. Dr. Faisal Saleh Al-Hussien, a law professor, said the purpose for establishing a system to fight cyber crimes is to assist the competent authorities, protect the rights of Internet users and information networks, protect the public interest and social ethics and morals and save the national economy. He stressed that the electronic transactions of individuals are protected by law and it is forbidden to assail anyone through the Internet. Mohammed Al-Melhem, former judge in the Board of Grievances, member of the International Bar Association and an expert accredited to the Human Rights Commission, said punishments for cybercrimes stipulated by the system vary from imprisonment for one year and a fine of SR500,000 to a prison sentence of 10 years and a fine of SR5 million. He pointed out that the punishment for anyone who incites others to commit any of the offenses defined in this system, and if a crime occurred due to such incitement, does not exceed the maximum penalty prescribed.
