Saudi police arrest teen for making video with US 'vlogger'

A teenage boy was arrested on the charges of "unethical behaviour" by the Saudi authorities, after appearing in an online video with an American vlogger.

Saudi authorities claimed that the videos shared on the livestreaming site YouNow by Abu Sin and Christina Crockett, who lives in Califoria, was "enticing" and invited “negative attention” from viewers around the world.

The videos originally shown live on the social streaming site have since been broadcast on YouTube, receiving hundreds of thousands of views.

In the video, it shows Abu Sin speaking a traditional song in Arabic to Crockett before asking her to marry him at the end of the video. 

Abu Sin was arrested on Friday while driving with two friends. The arrest was accidentally broadcast live on YouNow as he spoke with another user in Kuwait. 

Footage from the livestream showed the teenager approaching the police after officers pulled up behind the car to apprehend Abu Sin.

According to a translation from France 24, the teenager's friends tell the camera that police issued an arrest warrant for Abu Sin.  

Colonel Fawaz Al-Mayman, a spokesperson for Riyadh police, said Abu Sin was arrested for “unethical behaviour”. 

“His videos received many comments and many of the commenters of the general public demanded for him to be punished for his actions,” he added, according to the Saudi Gazette.

“The two of them [Abu Sin and Christina] composed enticing videos which received thousands of followers and viewers from all over the world within a short period of time. 

“Most of the viewers were from the Arab world. Abu Sin, nicknamed for his projecting tooth, became famous and received negative attention.”

A Saudi lawyer told the Okaz newspaper the videos breach the country’s interpretation of Sharia law and internet regulations, meaning Abu Sin could face up to three years in prison. 

Authorities said he is 19 years old, although he looks considerably younger in the footage. In one video, he tells Christina he was 20 before she replies sceptically: “But you’re only 13.” Neither Christina, a beauty and lifestyle vlogger, or YouNow have commented on the arrest.

Saudi Arabia is known to have made several arrests linked to YouTube videos and social media use, including of men who filmed themselves giving out “free hugs” in Riyadh.