World Tribune.com

Saudis move to check excesses of religious police

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Monday, February 26, 2007

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.


Copyright © 2007 East West Services, Inc.

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