Arrest of Saudi scholar and influencer another sign of social media crackdown

Detaining of public health expert Mohammed Alhajji comes as a shock as he was seen as apolitical

A prominent Saudi scholar and Snapchat influencer has been arrested by Saudi authorities in what experts said was evidence of the kingdom's extreme crackdown on social media users.

The arrest of Mohammed Alhajji, a public health expert who completed his dissertation in the US, follows the disappearance and recent arrests of other prominent influencers for crimes" that include the perceived criticism of the crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, and support for women's rights.