Saudi man arrested for flying Pride flag above home

A Saudi doctor was arrested by authorities for flying a rainbow pride flag above his home, unaware that it symbolised LGBT rights.

According to CNN Arabic, the doctor had bought the flag online because his children found the colours "pretty".

The Saudi religious police, or the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, arrested the man after he raised the flag on a three-metre pole above his home in Jeddah.

According to local media, the man was bailed after an “investigation,” and agreed to remove the flag.

Homosexuality is illegal under Saudi law, with punishments for those engaging in same-sex relationships including execution, chemical castration and imprisonment.

The Saudi Arabia's Bureau of Investigation has announced it is pushing to impose the death penalty for homosexuals who "solicit homosexual acts on social media".

Some social media users have used the Arabic-language hashtag #I'mGayYouWon'tTerroriseMe to express outrage at the proposed legislation and show solidarity with the Saudi LGBT community.

"I'm not gay but I stand for [LGBT] rights. They deserve respect and support for their rights because they are normal people just like everyone else," said one Twitter user.