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Arabia
Saoodi Arabia strips religious police of arresting power
2016-04-27
Saudi Arabia has stripped its religious forces of their powers to arrest, urging them to act "kindly and gently" in enforcing Islamic rules.

Under changes approved by the Saudi cabinet on Wednesday, religious officers will no longer be allowed to detain people and instead must report violators to police or drug squad officers, the official Saudi Press Agency said.

Officers of the Haia force, also known as the Mutawaa, must "carry out the duties of encouraging virtue and forbidding vice by advising kindly and gently" under the new rules, it reported.

"Neither the heads nor members of the Haia are to stop or arrest or chase people or ask for their IDs or follow them - that is considered the jurisdiction of the police or the drug unit," the regulations say.

Saudi Arabia's religious police enforce the country's interpretation of Islamic law including segregation of the sexes, ensuring that women cover themselves from head-to-toe when in public.

Formally known as the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, its members also patrol shops to make sure they are shuttered during time prayers.
Posted by:Frank G

#3  DV a rabbit hole, you have found one.
Posted by: Shipman   2016-04-27 21:57  

#2  Formally known as the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, its members also patrol shops to make sure they are shuttered during time prayers.

So.... if they are doing this during prayer time to keep people from working... doesn't that mean that they are working and in violation of their own doctrine?
Posted by: DarthVader   2016-04-27 17:45  

#1  ...Not sure if this is any real change - IIRC from my time in the Magic Kingdom, the Mutawaa never did have the ability to arrest you. That was what the Saudi policeman carrying the SMG who followed him everywhere was for.

(Actually met one of these guys when I was there. He was from Chicago. Not kidding.)

Mike

Posted by: Mike Kozlowski   2016-04-27 17:30  

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