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Saudi Arabia: video of 'indecently dressed' woman at heritage site prompts investigation Saudi woman investigated for wearing 'indecent' clothing at heritage site
(35 minutes later)
A woman who posted a video of herself touring one of Saudi Arabia’s heritage sites dressed in a skirt and crop-top is being investigated by the kingdom’s religious police. A woman who posted a video of herself touring one of Saudi Arabia’s heritage sites dressed in a skirt and crop top is being investigated by the kingdom’s religious police.
The woman, who identified herself as Khulood, posted a clip of herself on Snapchat over the weekend at the deserted Ushaqir heritage village in the ultra conservative province of Najd, about 100 miles north of the capital Riyadh. The woman, who identified herself as Khulood, posted a clip on Snapchat over the weekend at the deserted Ushaqir heritage village in the religiously conservative province of Najd, about 100 miles (160km) north of the capital, Riyadh.
To western eyes she is dressed as a typical summer tourist – with sunglasses, a short skirt, crop-top t-shirt, and her head unveiled. But in Saudi Arabia this is a flagrant breach of strict dress codes under which women are forced to wear headscarves and full-length robes or abayas in public. Most also cover their face with a black veil, though exceptions are made for visiting dignitaries. To westerners, her outfit is that of a typical summer tourist – sunglasses, a short skirt, short T-shirt and her head uncovered. But it breaches Saudi Arabia’s strict dress code requiring women to wear headscarves and abayas (full-length robes) in public. Most also cover their face with a black veil, though exceptions are made for visiting dignitaries.
The video, filmed in a region where many of Saudi Arabia’s most conservative tribes and families are from, appears to be a deliberate protest against those dress codes and has prompted calls for the woman to be prosecuted. It follows a spate of video protests against the kingdom’s ban on women driving. The video, filmed in a region home to many of Saudi Arabia’s most conservative tribes and families, appears to be a deliberate protest against clothing rules and has prompted calls for the woman to be prosecuted. It follows a spate of video protests about the kingdom’s ban on women driving.
The kingdom’s religious police, the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, said they were investigating. Saudi Arabia’s religious police, the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, said they were investigating.
Their official Twitter feed said they were aware of the video and were in contact with the relevant authorities. Their official Twitter feed said they were aware of the video and in contact with the relevant authorities.
المتحدث باسم #هيئة_الأمر_بالمعروف بـ #الرياض: الرئاسة رصدت مقطع لفتاة بلباسٍ مخالف، وجرى التنسيق مع الجهات المختصة.https://t.co/WCZBqLN2e8 pic.twitter.com/rD78JeAgUaالمتحدث باسم #هيئة_الأمر_بالمعروف بـ #الرياض: الرئاسة رصدت مقطع لفتاة بلباسٍ مخالف، وجرى التنسيق مع الجهات المختصة.https://t.co/WCZBqLN2e8 pic.twitter.com/rD78JeAgUa
Saudi news website Sabq reported that the religious police have written to other agencies calling for an investigation into the “indecently” dressed woman. The Saudi news website Sabq reported that the religious police have written to other agencies calling for an investigation into the “indecently” dressed woman.
Saudi writer Ibrahim al-Munayif told his 41,000 followers on Twitter that if everyone disregarded the law in this way there would be chaos. The Saudi writer Ibrahim al-Munayif told his 41,000 Twitter followers that if everyone disregarded the law in this way there would be chaos.
“Just like we call on people to respect the laws of countries they travel to, people must also respect the laws of this country,” he wrote.“Just like we call on people to respect the laws of countries they travel to, people must also respect the laws of this country,” he wrote.
#مطلوب_محاكمه_مودل_خلود لأن تصرفها همجي!لازم تحترم القانون اعجبك او ما اعجبك!>لو كل واحد تمرد على القانون لأنه مو عاجبه، بتصير الدعوة فوضى pic.twitter.com/f7k294gWlc#مطلوب_محاكمه_مودل_خلود لأن تصرفها همجي!لازم تحترم القانون اعجبك او ما اعجبك!>لو كل واحد تمرد على القانون لأنه مو عاجبه، بتصير الدعوة فوضى pic.twitter.com/f7k294gWlc
Social media is wildly popular in Saudi Arabia as a space to vent frustrations and gauge public opinion.Social media is wildly popular in Saudi Arabia as a space to vent frustrations and gauge public opinion.
With more than half of the population of Saudi Arabia under 25 years old, the country’s 30-year-old heir to the throne, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has pushed for greater openings for entertainment, in part to appease the country’s youth, but strict gender segregation rules and other restrictions on women’s movements remain in place. With more than half of the population of Saudi Arabia under 25, the country’s 31-year-old heir to the throne, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has pushed for greater freedom of entertainment, in part to appease young people, but strict gender segregation rules and other restrictions on women’s movements remain in place.
Rothna Begum, women’s rights researcher on the Middle East at Human Rights Watch, said any attempt to arrest the woman in the video would be a violation of her right to freedom of expression. Rothna Begum, a women’s rights researcher on the Middle East at Human Rights Watch, said any attempt to arrest the woman in the video would be a violation of her right to freedom of expression.
In an email to Guardian she added: “The dress code and strict segregation in Saudi Arabia affects women across the kingdom including in their right to work.” In an email to Guardian, she said: “The dress code and strict segregation in Saudi Arabia affects women across the kingdom, including in their right to work.”
Companies can face fines if they do not segregate offices and enforce a strict dress code for women, including a mandatory hijab (head covering), which often means that firms are more reluctant to hire women. Women who do not abide by the dress code in offices can be fined 1,000 riyals (£205). Companies can face fines if they do not segregate offices and enforce a strict dress code for women, including a mandatory hijab, which often means they are more reluctant to hire women. Women who do not abide by the dress code in offices can be fined 1,000 riyals (£205).
“Such restrictions come on top of the notorious male guardianship system in which from birth until death, a woman must have a male guardian – a father, husband, brother or even a son – who has the power to make a range of critical decisions on her behalf.” “Such restrictions come on top of the notorious male guardianship system in which, from birth until death, a woman must have a male guardian – a father, husband, brother or even a son – who has the power to make a range of critical decisions on her behalf,” Begum said.