Saudi Arabia’s English-language newspaper, Arab News, reported (on August 28, 2003) on an interesting incident that took place in the Wahabi-controlled desert kingdom.
As reported by the newspaper, “Police in Yanbu have started investigating a case of 13 men who attacked members of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice in front of their offices.” According to the Arabic media in Saudi Arabia, “The men were attempting to rescue a group of individuals the commission had arrested....”
The Commission, known in Saudi Arabia simply as the Muttawa, or Religious Police, is responsible for enforcing the Islamic codes of dress, morality and religious behavior. The force is made of more than 3,500 officers and thousands of volunteers, according to the BBC. Officially, the Religious Police are not allowed to touch - they can intimidate - unaccompanied by a Saudi police officer. Similar religious police exist in other Islamic states, as well.
According to the Arab Press report, the Mutawwa officers “had swooped on two men and two girls who were not related to one another on the beach...” in Yanbu. “On returning with their charges to their headquarters, they were attacked by the 13 and one of the girls escaped. Police later arrested four of the attackers and are still searching for the others,” the newspaper continued. “The commission released the two men and the girl still in their charge into the custody of their families.”
As reported by the newspaper, “Police in Yanbu have started investigating a case of 13 men who attacked members of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice in front of their offices.” According to the Arabic media in Saudi Arabia, “The men were attempting to rescue a group of individuals the commission had arrested....”
The Commission, known in Saudi Arabia simply as the Muttawa, or Religious Police, is responsible for enforcing the Islamic codes of dress, morality and religious behavior. The force is made of more than 3,500 officers and thousands of volunteers, according to the BBC. Officially, the Religious Police are not allowed to touch - they can intimidate - unaccompanied by a Saudi police officer. Similar religious police exist in other Islamic states, as well.
According to the Arab Press report, the Mutawwa officers “had swooped on two men and two girls who were not related to one another on the beach...” in Yanbu. “On returning with their charges to their headquarters, they were attacked by the 13 and one of the girls escaped. Police later arrested four of the attackers and are still searching for the others,” the newspaper continued. “The commission released the two men and the girl still in their charge into the custody of their families.”