Sending red-heart emoji can land you in jail in these countries

Sending a ‘red heart’ emoji to a girl on WhatsApp or any other social networking sites is considered a crime of incitement to debauchery in Kuwait and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).

According to Kuwaiti lawyer Haya Al-Shalhi on Sunday July 30, those convicted of this crime can face up to two years in jail and a fine not exceeding 2,000 Kuwaiti dinars (Rs 5,35,584).

Similarly, in Saudi Arabia, sending ‘red heart’ emojis on WhatsApp can lead to a jail term of two to five years, along with a fine of 100,000 Saudi Riyals (Rs 21,92,588).

According to a Saudi cybercrime expert, sending red hearts on WhatsApp could be interpreted as “harassment” within the country’s jurisdiction.

In case of a repeated violation, the fine could reach 300,000 Saudi Riyals (Rs 65,77,838) with five years in jail.