Omar Abdulaziz (vlogger)

Omar Abdulaziz Al-Zahrani (Arabic: عمر بن عبد العزيز الزهراني) is a Saudi Arabian dissident video blogger and activist living in exile in Montreal, Canada.[1] He was close friends and worked with Jamal Khashoggi, as recounted in the film The Dissident (2020). He is a member of the National Assembly Party.[2]

For other people with the same name, see Omar Abdulaziz.

Biography

He hosts a YouTube satire program known for its criticism of the kingdom and its leadership.[3] Consulting firm McKinsey & Company named Abdulaziz in an internal report as one of the top Saudi influencers on Twitter.[3]

He applied for asylum in 2014, when his student scholarship was cancelled after he criticised the Saudi government.[1] He became a Canadian permanent resident in 2017.[4]

Abdulaziz was close friends[3] and worked with Jamal Khashoggi—the Saudi dissident and journalist for The Washington Post—on various initiatives after Khashoggi left the kingdom to live in exile in 2017.[1] In 2018 Abdulaziz's phone was hacked and his conversations with Khashoggi were intercepted.[1][5] Khashoggi was later assassinated by Saudi Arabia. Abdulaziz's two brothers and several friends are imprisoned in their homes in Saudi Arabia because of their links to him.[1][4]

His story features prominently in the film The Dissident (2020), directed by Bryan Fogel.[6]

References
  1. Shaheen, Kareem (24 November 2018). "'They silenced Khashoggi but gave thousands a voice'". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 2020-02-22 – via www.theguardian.com.
  2. "Exiled Saudi dissidents launch opposition party", Al Jazeera, 23 September 2020
  3. Perper, Rosie. "A Canadian political refugee made videos criticizing Saudi Arabia — now Saudi authorities have arrested his friends and family". Business Insider. Retrieved 2020-02-22.
  4. Perper, Rosie. "One of Jamal Khashoggi's close friends said Twitter is the 'only free platform' for many Saudis, but it also may have led to Khashoggi's brutal murder". Business Insider. Retrieved 2020-02-22.
  5. "Quebec resident sues Israeli surveillance company over Jamal Khashoggi's killing | CBC News".
  6. Thorpe, Vanessa (22 February 2020). "Powerful new Khashoggi film hits its mark … but will audiences get to see it?". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 2020-02-22 – via www.theguardian.com.


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