Tourist harassed by six Saudi men

Six Saudi men have been arrested for harassing a foreign tourist in the capital Riyadh, the kingdom’s public prosecutor said on Monday, which only recently criminalized this type of assault against women.

“An investigation has been launched against six citizens in their twenties, regarding the incident of their gathering around the vehicle of a foreign tourist whom they harassed verbally and by signs,” a source said. public prosecutor quoted by the official SPA press agency, without giving more details on the identity of the tourist.

The six suspects, who admitted to the facts, were arrested and detained “while the investigation is taking place,” SPA added, adding that they would face a ten-year prison sentence for related offenses during the investigation. the incident.

Sexual harassment penalized since 2018

The crackdown on sexual harassment is recent in Saudi Arabia, a very conservative Muslim country where the issue of sexual violence and women’s rights remained extremely taboo until recent years.

In May 2018, the government passed a new law that penalizes sexual harassment with five years’ imprisonment (excluding aggravating circumstances) and a fine of 300,000 rials (€ 67,935).

Since 2017 and the rise of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the country has sought to soften its austere and conservative image, in particular by promoting women’s rights. But these reforms have been tarnished by an all-out crackdown on dissidents, including several feminist activists.

Saudi Arabia also hopes to reassure foreign tourists, which is booming in this sector in the kingdom. Riyadh granted tourist visas for the first time in 2019 in a country which was previously open to businessmen and pilgrims.

With his Vision 2030 modernization plan, which aims to diversify the economy to emerge both from the all-oil era and from a rentier society crushed by a rigorous Islam, Prince Mohammed Ben Salman has enabled women ( who represent 45% of the population), to become more visible in society, to get closer to the world of work.

For the past three years, they have been able to obtain their license and drive alone, set up their own business and travel without needing the authorization of a relative. And since June 8, 2021, it’s very recent, they are even allowed to live alone. There have been some reductions in the law on guardianship, as well as changes in labor law.

So much so that in the World Bank report this year on women, business and the law, Saudi Arabia appears as one of the best performing countries in this area. Today, some women run banks, are business leaders, border guards, police officers or even waitresses. The goal of Vision 2030 was that one in three women work in the country: it is reached 10 years in advance.

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Gabriel MIHAI

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