Job Discussion Forums

[dime a dozen]

I want to ship material to KSA but am concerned that some of the materials includes text and graphics that might be inappropriate.

Can you please help with advice?

If I send or bring books, hard-drives, CDs to KSA, will these be delivered without problem, or will there be some sort of bureaucratic process that will concern censorship?

I am planning to send boxes of books (including course textbooks, novels, etc) to a friend working at a university. I'm looking at about 30-40 kgs. These textbooks are very ordinary, but there are some pictures that are giving me reason to think twice; for example, pictures of sleeveless women, pictures of bottles of wine, etc. Also, some of the novels might be inappropriate.

I was also going to send an external hard drive with scanned copies of books, pictures, photos, etc. There are many pictures of women; nothing I would think too outrageous by ordinary standards; a cartoon of a woman in a bikini under a beach umbrella, for example.

I was going to send all this by DHL shipment, or perhaps as unaccompanied luggage, or if I meet my friend in the States next month, I was going to hand them over so he could bring them back to KSA himself later this year.

Anyway, I was looking over the stuff yesterday and it occured to me that it would be a good idea to check with the board if this sort of stuff will be OK for shipment or for carrying.

Apologies if I seem a bit naive -I've never been to KSA so really don't know.

Any pointers for safe practice here?

Thanks in advance.

[veiledsentiments]

[dime a dozen]

I figured it was banned.

Would anyone be able to advise if other items are OK?

[scot47]

You cannot know this in advance. It is generally easier to bring things in as personal luggage over the Causeway.

Personally I do not think that would be a problem. Shipping them as cargo MIGHT be more problematic.

[Cleopatra]

Scot is right - your stuff is far more likely to be searched if it's sent via cargo than if it's in your own luggage. Again, there is no way of knowing how thoroughly - if at all - your bags will be searched. They may not be opened at all, or you may be asked to take every item out for individual inspection. This latter is rare these days, but it can still happen.

[cmp45]

First off i agree with what all have said about caution of bringing books, CD,s etc into the kingdom.

[Never Ceased To Be Amazed]

The OP's question about what is frowned upon or not will be quickly cleared up when s/he takes her/his first visit to the eye-opening magazine section of Jarir's

I believe I've covered the sequence of the emotions here.

NCTBA

[veiledsentiments]

cmp45

If that is how you choose your reading material... by its garbage level... go ahead and read it. But get it at a used book store and be sure to hold your nose as you read. It is the perfect book for those who want to hate Islam, Arabs, and Saudi Arabia. For those who like to sit around and snicker and feel superior.

To me the most offensive part is that it is passed off as 'non-fiction.'

VS

[cmp45]

Well... in this crazy world, one person's trash is often another's treasure ...food for thought...but since I do value your opinion...most of the time
I' ll give this book a pass.

[Mia Xanthi]

IMHO, the days of extreme Saudi reactions to either cargo or mail seem to be long gone. Yes, it is still possible to get the odd muttawa type as a customs inspector, but generally most stuff seems to pass through with no problem This includes cargo shipments, although as Cleopatra said they are more likely to be inspected. Provided there are no racy pictures on the covers of the books, it is highly unlikely that anyone will read enough of it to decide to confiscate it. People that I work with have received rather large shipments of books and CDs entirely intact, and at least one person has shipped a hard drive with no incident.

Most of the dreadful stories of confiscation seem to be from ten years ago. Things have changed a lot here.

[007]

I wonder who is untruthful to the readers, Jean Sasson or Princess Sultana of the magic kingdom.

[Wastaman]

Please enlighten me, we've obviously struck a raw nerve here, but why do you think Sasson's book is a 'ridiculous pile of crap'?

Didn't I see Mein Kampf and the The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, (Arabic translation) in Jarir book store, Jiddah a couple of years ago? Is Sasson's book any more ridiculously crappy?

[Stephen Jones]

[veiledsentiments]

[Cleopatra]