Saudi govt adviser sacked for attending, praising mixed-gender fashion show

Dr Ghassan bin Ahmad Al-Sulaiman had although condemned the event later

While Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman pledges a “moderate, open” Saudi Arabia, changing the long-held moral norms may prove to be an uphill task.

In a not-so-surprising occurrence on Sunday, King Salman sacked an adviser to the ministry of commerce and investment who had attended and praised a fashion show.

"A Royal Order was issued today relieving Adviser at the Ministry of Trade and Investment Dr Ghassan bin Ahmad Al-Sulaiman of his post," reported Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

#Saudi King sacks Ghassan Al-Suleiman, leading adviser in @SaudiMCI over organizing a mixed fashion show in Riyadh @RiyadhFashionDa https://t.co/ddjca1x6tOhttps://t.co/wiRYun9AAf

— Saad Abedine (@SaadAbedine) December 3, 2017

Dr Sulaiman was sacked despite the fact that he issued official statements condemning the mixed-gender event, contradicting his earlier stance.

On October 24, the crown prince had told international investors gathered at an economic forum in Riyadh in October that “70 per cent of the Saudi population is under 30, and honestly we will not spend the next 30 years of our lives dealing with destructive ideas. We will destroy them today and at once; we will end extremism very soon.”