ABU DHABI — Saudi Arabia has announced restrictions on its
controversial religious police force.
The restrictions on the religious police do not deny them the right of
arrest. But officials said the so-called Commission for the Promotion of
Virtue
and Prevention of Vice would not have the power to interrogate or prosecute, Middle East Newsline reported.
"The role of the commission ends with the arrest of the suspect or
suspects," a royal decree issued on Thursday said.
An Interior Ministry statement quoted Interior Minister Prince Nayef Bin
Abdul Aziz as saying that the religious police would transfer suspects to
regular police. Nayef said the suspects would be questioned by the
Commission for Investigation.
"The Commission for Investigation has been given the charge to conduct
probes in such cases," Nayef said. "The missions of all [investigatory]
committees established under the regional governorates have been transferred
to the Commission for Investigation."
Over the last two years, several clashes were reported between Saudis
and religious police, termed the Mutawa. The police, comprised of Islamic
seminary students, have been accused of harassing Saudi women, preventing
married couples from strolling in public and forcing Saudi men to pray.
The Jedda-based Arab News cited a complaint by Ahmad Ali Abu Dabous. Abu
Dabous said he was arrested by the Mutawa when he went shopping in a mall in
Medina. He was accused of stalking women and held for six hours.
In 2004, the Mutawa, estimated at 5,000, were ordered to train officers
in civility. But Western human rights groups have not reported any
significant improvement and maintain that the Mutawa remain above the law.
