Authorities have vowed to punish teachers found guilty of taking photographs of students and defaming them online with a one-year prison term and a SR500,000 fine.

This decision comes following the increasing incidents of teachers ridiculing students and colleagues by airing video clips and photos of them online.

Mubarak Al-Usaimi, the official spokesman for the Ministry of Education, confirmed that taking photos of students constitutes a clear and explicit violation of privacy.

He said that the ministry would deal with violators without seeking the permission of the school in accordance with Article Three of the law on cyber crimes, which criminalizes violation of privacy through photography and the misuse of mobile phones equipped with cameras.

The warning comes following a decree issued by the Education Ministry prohibiting photography within schools without written permission from authorities.

He called on principals to ban filming by students on the campus.

The decree also contains a provision that prohibits students from bringing mobiles to schools.

Ministry officials said that the ministry would apply punitive measures against violators as stated in Article Five of the code of conduct for students in the intermediate and secondary levels of the public education system.