Saudi woman beats up vice cop - report - Culture & Society

Tuesday, 18 May 2010 4:01 PM

A Saudi woman has beaten up a member of the Kingdom’s religious police, who required hospital treatment, according to a report.

According to Saudi daily newspaper Okaz the woman, who is in her 20s, was in an amusement park in the eastern Saudi Arabian city of Al-Mubarraz, when she and a male friend were approached by a member of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (Hai’a).

The officer asked the couple to confirm their identities and relationship to one another, as it is a crime in Saudi Arabia for unmarried men and women to mix. For unknown reasons, the young man collapsed while being questioned.

At which point, the newspaper said the woman began punching the officer repeatedly. He was eventually taken to hospital with bruises across his body and face.

Neither the religious police nor the Eastern Province police have so far made a statement on the incident, and both the names of the couple and the date of the incident have not been made public, Okaz said.

Should the woman be charged, she could face a lengthy prison term and lashings for assaulting a representative of a government institution, the newspaper added.

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Posted by: Telco guy Thursday, 20 May 2010 11:49 AM[UAE] - UAE

So, let me see J&J maybe you can educate my ignorance. The tarring and feathering of English tax collectors in 1776, supporting the secession of Texas from Mexico in 1836 to "protect" of the USA settlers (hey i see why you are so nervous about immigration, you let them in and they take your country) , and instigating theSpanish-American war of 1898 (on the excuse of mistreatment of population) were all legitimate acts. This woman having a fight with one of the most repressive forces, it is a shameful act. Well, do you care to explain? What about the ANC? were they legitimate? What about the people in the streets in Iran right now? I am really curious to understand what is the litmus test of legitimacy for you. And why did I bring religion? Let me think... ah yes, because Mutawa is a religious police. I am glad you had fun, now please educate us.

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Posted by: girish pankaj Thursday, 20 May 2010 8:23 AM[UAE] - india

it is good news....it meens muslim women is also comming on socjal and modern front..

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Posted by: Kate Wednesday, 19 May 2010 3:53 PM[UAE] - United Arab Emirates

@ Jeff - AB glossed over the story, but other outlets went in to more detail based on a report from the Saudi news agency - her male partner/husband/brother did collapse (we don't know from what). Imagine being a woman that is constantly questioned as to her virtue by a man that just from suspicion questions her veracity. If you could walk a mile in her shoes, you would probably snap to. The upshot is, the Saudi religious police while officially sanctioned also includes volunteers who have no legal position and often exceed their authority in dealing with these issues. While reports are sketchy, it would appear to be a story of 'he said, she did'. On another point, as a Saudi national, she can hardly move countries to escape this persecution

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Posted by: Jack Wednesday, 19 May 2010 12:23 PM[UAE] - UAE

Telco.....im sorry to say that iv never read a more ignorant post! How in gods name did you end up comparing this criminal woman to the american revolution?! You have serious cognative issue! Fortunately for us....we have one person that has something called reason left in him...JEFF!!! U show em buddy!

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Posted by: jeff Wednesday, 19 May 2010 12:19 PM[UAE] - usa

mr. really , considering i said " men have BECOME unbelievably wimpified " , your words are much more illuminating than mine ..... in case ya didn't get it . why u would bring the founding fathers into this gave me a wonderful laugh for the evening though , thanks . and why are u bringing religion into my post ? religion has absolutely nothing to do with what my post was about . my post , in a nutshell , said that people ( even women ) should obey their country's laws or move somewhere else , posters shouldn't make up stories to fit their bubble of denial , and that men have BECOME wimps in the good ole us of a . ...how you got religion from that is this weeks big mystery . on one last note ," supporting the struggle against tyranny " doesn't mean you get to assault policemen when they try and enforce laws . ... then YOU are part of that tyranny and need to look up the word hypocrite in the dictionary .

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