A gay man has been sentenced to 450 lashes and three years in prison in Saudi Arabia for trying to meet men on Twitter.

The unnamed 24-year old was arrested after a sting arranged by Members of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (the “religious police”) who had received a report that the man was attempting to arrange a date with another man on Twitter.

A ‘date’ was arranged with an undercover police office and the 24-year old was subsequently arrested. His phone was confiscated when several “immoral” pictures were allegedly discovered, reports Gulf News.

The man admitted to attempting to communicate with other homosexuals and was sentenced to 450 lashes over 15 sessions and 3 years in jail.

Homosexuality is illegal in Saudi Arabia and punishable by fines, flogging, imprisonment, and even death.