ABU DHABI — Saudi Arabia's king has responded to criticism of the nation's powerful
religious police by moving to limit its authority.
The religious police have been authorized to detain people behaving in a
way deemed inconsistent with Islam. Officers have arrested married couples
for holding hands or walking together in the street or shopping mall.
Officials said King Abdullah has imposed limitations on the authority
of the religious police, entitled the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue
and Prevention of Vice in Saudi Arabia. They said Abdullah has ordered the
religious police not to enter government buildings or private businesses
without their approval, Middle East Newsline reported.
"They will not have the final word," an official said.
The commission has issued a directive to the 5,000-member religious
police that ban officers from entering government offices or businesses
without authorization. Officials said coordination with these institutions
was required even when they were believed to be harboring suspected
law-breakers.
Commission deputy chief Ibrahim Bin Suleiman Al Howaimel said violations
by religious police officers would be investigated. Al Howaimel did not rule
out punishment for officers who fail to abide by the new restrictions.
"If a mistake is reported, the member will be questioned and penalized
for the wrongdoing," Al Howaimel said.
The regulations came in wake of criticism of the religious police. At
one point, the government was examining a proposal to merge the religious
police into other security agencies.