Saudi police detain young woman for removing abaya

Woman detained after complaint filed by religious police, reports Al Sharq newspaper


Reuters December 12, 2016

DUBAI: Saudi police detained a young woman for violating modesty rules after she removed her abaya, the loose-fitting, full-length robes women are required to wear, on a main street in the capital Riyadh, local media reported on Monday.

The Arabic-language al-Sharq newspaper reported that the woman was detained after a complaint was filed by the religious police.

"Police officers have detained a girl who had removed her abaya on al-Tahliya street, implementing a challenge she announced on social media several days ago," the newspaper quoted Colonel Fawaz al-Maiman, a Riyadh police spokesperson, as saying.

Saudis call for execution of woman without hijab

The sabq.org news website said the unnamed woman had posted on Twitter that she would go out in public without her abaya.

Both sabq.org and another news website, alweeam.com.sa, carried a picture of the woman wearing a black jacket over an ankle-length orange and pink dress. Sabq.org concealed the exposed parts of her body.

The post had drawn an angry reaction from some Saudis.

"She has been arrested and we demand utmost punishment, for the state has rules that she did not respect," one Twitter user said.

COMMENTS (2)

PrasadDeccani | 7 years ago | Reply Why this world is cruel to Muslim women? In one part of the world, woman is punished for taking the cloth off; in another part, woman is punished for wearing the same cloth!!
Kimchee | 7 years ago | Reply This woman must make arrangements to move to Germany. There is no room for immodesty in Saudi Arabia, which, as far as I can tell, has produced the most modest men ever in the history of the universe.
Replying to X

Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.

For more information, please see our Comments FAQ