Saudi Arabian and Kuwaiti authorities have declared that individuals guilty of sending heart emojis to women may face up to two years of incarceration. The act of sending a heart emoji to a woman on any social media platform or WhatsApp has now been categorized as a crime of incitement to evil under the law.
Kuwaiti attorney Haya Al Shalahi stated that individuals convicted of this offence could potentially serve a maximum of two years in jail and incur a fine of up to 2,000 Kuwaiti dinars. Conversely, the same offence in Saudi Arabia may result in a prison term ranging from two to five years and a penalty of 100,000 Saudi Riyals.
A Saudi cybercrime specialist declared that sending red heart emojis to any woman on WhatsApp would be interpreted as harassment under the nation’s law. Al Moataz Kutbi, a Saudi Arabia’s Anti-Fraud Association member, elaborated that “specific imagery and phrases during online interactions may be classified as a harassment crime if the aggrieved party files a lawsuit.”
For repeat offenders, the penalties can escalate to a hefty fine of 300,000 Saudi Riyals and a jail sentence of up to five years.