JEDDAH: Taking videos of teachers on mobile phones when they punish students or take action against them is a crime, and posting it on social media is a bigger crime that is punishable under the law, a legal expert has said.

“One must take into account the intention of people behind filming such incidents, but they must know that posting such video clips on social media is a violation of the law, whoever it is,” Abdul Rahman Masaad Al-Muhamadi, a member of the Arab Lawyers Union (ALU), was quoted as saying by local media on Sunday.

“Students must know that filming anything inside the school constitutes a punishable violation. Any such video, to unveil a violation, must first be shown to the supervisory body, such as the headmaster or headmistress of the school or any other competent body. Posting such a video clip on social media will be considered defaming or degrading the person filmed, which is a bigger violation.”

He also warned that students must be aware that getting mobile phones to the school is a violation of rules and calls for punitive action like suspension of the student for a number of days.