A senior Saudi aide has been removed from his post after he was caught slapping a photojournalist covering the arrival of Morocco’s King Mohammad VI in Riyadh.
Gulf News reports that the head of royal protocol, Mohammad Al Tibaishi, was replaced shortly after the incident was posted on YouTube and subsequently went viral.
The short six-second video clip shows Al Tibaishi in the background turning around to hit the photographer, just as King Salman greets King Mohammad at the airport.
Amid calls for action against Al Tibaishi, King Salman issued a royal order to replace him with Khalid Al Abad, a 56-year-old with significant experience in court protocols.
“This is a great day for journalists and media figures,” Abdullah Al Bergawi, a journalist, told Gulf News.
“Removing the head of the royal protocol in support of a journalist is a clear consolidation of the status of the media and a victory for journalism. King Salman is again showing that no-one is above the law and that all people, officials or not, are to be held responsible for their words and deeds and for not respecting people’s right to dignity,” he added.
Last month, King Salman banned a senior member of the royal family from appearing on public and private television channels after he uttered remarks deemed racist.
Prince Mamdooh Bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud, an honorary member of the Riyadh-based Al Nasr sports club, was also prevented from making statements to print or audio media and from taking part in all sports activities.
The ban was imposed after Prince Mamdooh in a live talk show on Saudi Sports Television questioned the merit of Adnan Jestiyeh, a sports writer, to comment on Saudi sports, referring to him as “Tarsh”.
The term is a pejorative reference to “pilgrim remnants”, usually young children left in the kingdom by their parents as they performed pilgrimage.
King Salman also sacked the health minister for denigrating remarks by a citizen who was complaining the ministry was not doing enough to assist his bed-ridden father.
The Riyadh airport incident and the reaction by King Salman prompted bloggers to heap praise on the monarch for vindicating the photojournalist and “helping the helpless against abuses by people with authority.”
“Salman is obviously the champion of the needy,” Said posted. “History will recall his name as a courageous and brave leader who sought and delivered justice.”
Patriot said that King Salman would be recalled as the king who put deeds ahead of promises.
“You are genuinely defending the people’s right to live in dignity,” he said. “We love you for truly taking action before uttering promises and for upholding our dignity. You are the King of Resolve,” he said, in reference to the Storm of Resolve Operation led by Saudi Arabia to restore legitimacy in Yemen.
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