A Saudi doctor who was arrested for flying a rainbow pride flag over his home told police that he didn’t realise the flag’s gay significance and only purchased it because one of his children thought it was pretty.

After being arrested by the Saudi religious police, known as the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, the man told authorities that he had no idea what the flag represented and only bought it online after one of his children told him it was “pretty”.

The man was bailed following questioning and agreed to remove the flag from his home in Jeddah.

The Saudi Arabia’s Bureau of Investigation has announced it is pushing to impose the death penalty for homosexuals who “solicit homosexual acts on social media”, reports Middle East Eye.

Some social media users have used the Arabic-language hashtag #I’mGayYouWon’tTerroriseMe to express outrage at the proposed legislation and show solidarity with the Saudi LGBT community.

Homosexuality is illegal under Sharia law and punishable with execution, public flogging and even chemical castration.