It doesn’t take much to incite the Twitterati. This time furious hashtags are directed towards Michelle Obama who has defiantly not covered her head in a trip with the US President to Saudi Arabia.

Saudi women are not permitted to appear in public without their heads covered. It’s no wonder Michelle’s behaviour was deemed disrespectful, rebellious and also, bizarrely, that of a freedom fighter.

Thousands of Saudi’s expressed their disdain under the rather uncreative hastags: “#Michelle_Obama_Immodest” and "#Michelle_Obama_NotVeiled Tweets include: “Did yall see the first lady’s slutty uncovered hair?”.

“Such lack of respect by first lady. Disgusting. Cover up in our land.”.

These tweets would indeed be risible if it wasn’t for Saudi Arabia’s human rights record.

It’s facetious to point out that the sight of one woman’s hair can cause so much controversy in Saudi Arabia, yet beheadings and lashings are just a part of daily life.

Saudi Arabia has reportedly carried out four executions since the appointment of King Salman last Friday.

Liberal Saudi blogger Raif Badawi was condemned to 1000 lashes as well as 10 years in prison and a fine of over £160,000 after allegedly insulting Islam in his blog. After the initial 50 lashes, the remainder have been postponed because of concerns for the blogger’s health.

In an incredible gesture, seven members of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom have offered to take 100 lashes each in Raif’s place. They wrote to the Saudi authorities and said: “If your government will not remit the punishment of Raif Badawi, we respectfully ask that you permit each of us to take 100 of the lashes that would be given to him.

“We would rather share in his victimisation than stand by and watch him being cruelly tortured.”

The display of solidarity is overwhelming. Yet creating a furore over an uncovered head is just irredeemably stupid.