JEDDAH: A Jeddah court on Sunday started the trial of Mazen Abdul Jawad, the 32-year-old Saudi who in July boasted about his sexual escapades on LBC’s “Bold Red Line.” Three unnamed accomplices, the men who also appeared on the program, are also on trial.
The court listened to depositions for three hours and heard the list of charges against the four men presented by a representative of the Prosecution and Investigation Commission. The charges were not provided to the press.
Sources close to the court told Arab News that Sheikh Muhammad Amin, the judge in the case, asked the four defendants to reply in writing to the charges at the next hearing. The date of that hearing has not been disclosed.
Meanwhile, sources close to Abdul Jawad’s family told Arab News that the prime defendant’s mother was rushed to hospital on the second day of Eid Al-Fitr after she collapsed on hearing about the trial of her son.
Abdul Jawad’s appearance on the program fueled controversy because he boasted about having premarital sex and provided explicit descriptions of sex and how to pick up dates. His statements have been viewed as publicizing and promoting sinful behavior and violating social norms on the issue of dating and premarital sex.
Abdul Jawad claims the producers of the program edited down an hours-long interview to a short segment on the program aimed at portraying him in the worst possible light.
