The Public Prosecution and Investigation Commission in the province is currently looking into the 26-year-old victim’s case.
The woman says that the man pretended to be in love with her and had promised to marry her.
“However, he was lying and tried to blackmail me by threatening to post my pictures on the Internet. He also sent several threatening text messages from several mobile numbers,” she told Al-Madinah daily.
The woman said the ordeal almost caused her to make a public plea for help. She then approached security authorities, human rights bodies, and the Commission for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (Haia).
“The man had put me in a precarious situation over the last two years. His frequent attempts to blackmail me, make threatening calls and harass me in different ways have caused me much misery. There were several moments when I thought of even committing suicide,” she said.
The woman, who is employed, said she never thought she would become the victim of such manipulation because she believed her tormentor’s love was real.
She recalled the day when she found out her lover was a liar and a dishonest man.
“One day, I found out no one was able to take me to the office, so I called my fiancé,” she said.
“When I got in his car, he drove the vehicle away from my work. He told me not to be afraid of him, and added that he just wanted to reach a proper understanding with me about our future married life. He then suddenly pounced upon me like a beast.” She said the man then took photographs of her face.
“When I asked him about our marriage date, he rejected any talk of a wedding outright,” she added.
The young woman urged security authorities to bring the man to justice and punish him.
Haia spokesman for Asir Sheikh Bandar Al-Mofreh described the incident as unfortunate. He drew attention to the rising number of cyber crimes, including threats to post pictures of women on the Internet after they are lured by false promises of love and marriage.
“With the advancement in information technology, there have been several types of crimes happening that had not occurred in the past,” he said.
“The misuse of modern technology is producing a negative impact on society, resulting in increased cases of divorce, family breakups, and spreading of immoral behavior.”
He said that his Haia branch was investigating the woman’s case.
Ali Eisa Al-Shaabi, a member of the Human Rights Commission in Asir, said his organization was also monitoring developments closely. “We will try to deliver a just outcome for the woman and ensure the investigation is proceeding on the right track in coordination with security agencies,” he added.
Prominent lawyer Ali Yahya Al-Shahrani said taking pictures of women and threatening to post them online was a major cyber crime.
“Those who are convicted of such offenses can be jailed for up to one year, fined as much as SR500,000, or both. However, any such allegations must be proved with substantial evidence, including witnesses and medical tests. In extreme cases, there is provision in cyber laws to award up to five years of imprisonment, a maximum fine of SR3 million, or both,” he said.
