The Double Life of Abdulaziz Almuzaini

Abdulaziz Almuzaini’s career seemed to reach its peak in recent years as the head of an animation studio in Saudi Arabia. In 2020, he inked a five-year deal with Netflix, and the cartoon series he co-created, “Masameer,” akin to a Saudi version of “South Park,” started streaming globally. He was lauded as one of the talents shaping Saudi Arabia’s entertainment industry, as the conservative kingdom underwent a cultural transformation.

However, behind the scenes, Almuzaini was embroiled in a legal battle in an opaque national security court in Saudi Arabia. He was accused by Saudi prosecutors of promoting extremism through his cartoon series and social media posts, with the aim of ensuring a lifetime prison sentence or travel ban. Almuzaini, a dual U.S.-Saudi citizen and a father of three, recently recorded a video pleading for the Saudi leadership to intervene as he awaited a final ruling from the kingdom’s Supreme Court.

In the emotional 18-minute video filmed at his home in the Saudi capital, Almuzaini, with a black beard graying at the edges, stood in front of a wall adorned with colorful sticky notes, expressing his innocence. He stated, “I haven’t committed a single crime in the kingdom. I haven’t even run a red light.”

Since 2017, the Saudi authorities have detained numerous citizens in a crackdown on dissent. What made Almuzaini’s case particularly surprising was his seemingly positive relationship with the Saudi leadership, attending official events and receiving favorable coverage in state-backed media outlets. Despite facing serious charges, he was not imprisoned but was prohibited from leaving the country.