Saudi men arrested for offering free hugs in Riyadh

[klr]

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.

[Clinton Huxley]

Sign a pledge not to offer hugs or.......have their arms chopped off. Saudi Arabia is a stupid place.

[klr]

Sign a pledge not to offer hugs or.......have their arms chopped off. Saudi Arabia is a stupid place.

Brave guys though.

One can only imagine how suicidal it would be for a woman to try this in fun-loving Riyadh.

[Clinton Huxley]

Sign a pledge not to offer hugs or.......have their arms chopped off. Saudi Arabia is a stupid place.

Brave guys though.

One can only imagine how suicidal it would be for a woman to try this in fun-loving Riyadh.

Aye, beheading as a minimum for a woman

[Clinton Huxley]

The Mutawa Xmas party must be a barrel of laughs.

[Pappa]

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.

If that had come from NewsThump or The Onion I'd not have been surprised.

[klr]

I see a lot of countries these days trying to promote tourism via TV advert campaigns. Somehow, I can't see the Saudis trying this, even if they wanted to ... which of course they don't. How do you sell a place like that?

The Mutawa Xmas party must be a barrel of laughs.

The mere mention of an infidel festival would land you in hot water.

[Clinton Huxley]

You'd think they'd like Santa. At least he has a beard.

[klr]

You'd think they'd like Santa. At least he has a beard.

He brings peace and goodwill to all men though. Wrong profile.

I wonder ... in those apps and web sites where Santa delivers presents all over the world on Christmas Eve, how long does he loiter over Saudi Arabia?

[Audley Strange]

Let's be honest they'd likely be arrested at most airports these days either for sexual harrassment or looking like terrorists from the Love Jihad.

[mistermack]

I think arrest was too lenient.
If strange men come up to me, offering hugs, I want them locked up.
What's wrong with a firm handshake? I blame the bloody Americans. They started all this hugging.
WHY? John Wayne wasn't a hugger. When did it start? Did James Cagney say ''c'mere, you dirty rat!" ? (hug hug hug)
I don't think so.

[JimC]

Hugger mugger rugger buggers...

[Xamonas Chegwé]

You can have your nads cut off for smuggling mistletoe into Saudi - FACT!

[Jason]

I think arrest was too lenient.
If strange men come up to me, offering hugs, I want them locked up.
What's wrong with a firm handshake? I blame the bloody Americans. They started all this hugging.
WHY? John Wayne wasn't a hugger. When did it start? Did James Cagney say ''c'mere, you dirty rat!" ? (hug hug hug)
I don't think so.

I blame the new James Bond. He's all feely and emotional.

[Mishakal]

Whenever I read news stories from Saudi Arabia, all I can think of is the fact that they have beauty pageants for Camels and Goats there.

And yes, floating around on the internets is a pic of some Saudi Prince taking a picture of a goat's ass on the catwalk of one of the pageants.

It's what Muhammad would want.