Job Discussion Forums

[johnslat]

Good thing the authorities nipped this in the bug. Allah knows what it might have led to.

"Saudi men arrested for offering free hugs in Riyadh

Two men have been arrested in Saudi Arabia for offering free hugs to passers-by in the capital, Riyadh.

The Saudi religious police detained the two young men for indulging in exotic practices and offending public order.

The free hugs movement aims to "brighten up" people's lives by offering strangers hugs.

A young Saudi man, Bandr al-Swed, posted a video of himself offering hugs to male strangers on YouTube, where it has received nearly 1.5m views.

"After seeing the Free Hugs Campaign in many different countries, I decided to do it in my own country," Mr Swed told al-Arabiya news.

"I liked the idea and thought it could bring happiness to Saudi Arabia."

Britain's Independent newspaper reports that his video inspired two more young Saudis, Abdulrahman al-Khayyal and a friend.

They offered hugs, advertised on a placard, in one of Riyadh's main shopping streets.

They were subsequently arrested by the kingdom's religious police, the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, which is charged with ensuring that sharia law is strictly adhered to.

The two were required to sign a pledge that they would not offer hugs again, reports say.

The duties of Saudi Arabia's religious police, or mutawa, include preventing women driving, enforcing modest dress codes, policing bans on public entertainment and making sure all businesses close for prayers five times a day.

Some in the kingdom find the mutawa's powers an interference in their lives.

The religious police attracted criticism for their role in a 2002 fire at a school in Mecca in which 15 girls died. The police were accused of trying to keep the girls inside the burning building because they were not wearing the proper black robes required of Saudi females."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-25041198

Regards,
John

[scot47]

As is often the case, I find myself agreeing with the Bearded Pious Ones. Free Hugs ! Bah Humbug !

[JustinC]

"The duties of Saudi Arabia's religious police, or mutawa, include preventing women driving, enforcing modest dress codes, policing bans on public entertainment and making sure all businesses close for prayers five times a day.

Some in the kingdom find the mutawa's powers an interference in their lives."

That could not have been written without the reporter doubling up in fits of laughter.

[shebab]

[trapezius]

The Independent's report said they were accused of, in quotes, "exotic practices". My comment? Exotic is just one letter away from "erotic". Better nip it in the bud before there is an epidemic of public erotic male-male hugs in SA!!!

BTW, this is so old... Saudi youth have moved on to even bolder initiatives... a group of Saudi youth with a "Free Kiss" sign in a mall in Dhahran were apprehended by the CPVPV a couple of days ago.

http://riyadhconnect.com/seven-saudi-youngsters-arrested-for-offering-free-kisses-at-a-mall-in-dhahran

EDIT: So it turns out the kisses thing is also old news... they have moved on to smiles now, and here, the CPVPV will have no room, as smiling is a Sunnah of the Prophet, and the campaign is playing that up!

http://riyadhconnect.com/saudi-men-start-smile-campaign-in-response-to-free-kisses-controversy

EDIT: Did not want to make a new thread for this - Saudi youth are becoming very bold in their defiance of the authorities. I don't know if this is a one-off, or if it shows what the future holds in terms of youth-CPVPV interactions.

http://riyadhconnect.com/young-man-fires-at-haia-to-help-girls-escape/

[johnslat]

"Bringing happiness to Saudi Arabia is illegal and MUST be stopped!!!"

Well, of course - happiness is a foreign concept, a shaitan-snare imported from the decadent West. It is HARAM!!!

I've always found it strange how fundamentalists of many religions appear to believe that God/Allah doesn't want us to be happy.

Regards,
John

[JustinC]

John, happiness is subjective. How you attain it is not