Monday, January 10, 2011

NEWS

Young Saudi penalized for harassing shopper

By MD AL-SULAMI | ARAB NEWS

JEDDAH: The Commission for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (Haia) detained a young Saudi in a mall in Yanbu Industrial City on Friday for wearing improper clothes and harassing a girl out shopping.

The Haia did not identify the man but said he was wearing low-waist trousers known here as Taihni (“Throw me down”) and Samhini ya baba (“Forgive Me Father”), which are forbidden by the Interior Ministry.

The Haia said it was called after the security guards in the mall failed to deal with him. The Haia said in a statement it was able to catch the young man, who denied that he was flirting with the girl.

The Haia said it made the young man sign a pledge not to wear those clothes again and not to flirt with women. This was done through the authority of the local police.

The Interior Ministry recently issued a circular threatening to punish anyone who wears improper trousers.

On the first offense, young men caught wearing such clothing will be compelled to sign a pledge not to repeat the offense. On second offense the offender could be jailed.

Clothing shops have also been asked not to sell such clothing.

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