The 17 women were arrested last Friday without any charges laid so far, following the complaint by neighbours over noise. The Philippines ambassador to Saudi Arabia issued an advisory reminding his compatriots not to take part in non-Islamic celebrations, like Christmas. The recent wave of arrests and rights violations show the superficiality of the reforms undertaken by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Riyadh (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Saudi authorities arrested 17 Filipino migrant women for participating in a Halloween party, the Philippines Foreign Ministry has reported.
Saudi intelligence officers arrested the women when they raided a compound in the Saudi capital last Friday, following complaints from neighbours over the noise.
Upon arrival, the officers found the women were holding a party dedicated to Halloween, which falls tomorrow, an ancient Celtic tradition that is popular in English-speaking countries but also in other parts of the world.
At present, the charges are unclear, but the Philippines Foreign Ministry noted that, given the country’s strict adherence to Islam, Saudi laws prohibit unattached men and women being seen together in public
The Philippine Star newspaper cited a Facebook post by a man called Humoud Al Fajrawi as saying that some of the partygoers had not known that the event was Halloween-themed.
The Philippines ambassador in Riyadh, Adnan Alonto said that initial information indicated the organisers of the party had been charged with holding an event without a permit and for disturbing the neighbourhood.
On Sunday, he issued an advisory reminding the Filipino community in Saudi Arabia to "refrain from organising or attending events or gatherings that are unsanctioned or without permission" from the local authorities.
"In addition, everyone is reminded to avoid mixed crowds, consuming liquor, and holding public practice of traditions that are associated with religions other than Islam, such as Halloween, Valentines and Christmas."
This case shows once again how shallow the “reform” programme (Vision 2030) of Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman (MbS) actually is, this despite the hoopla by the country’s media.
So far, reforms have been minimal, the most hyped being the right to drive granted to women.
In reality, over the past year, a large shadow has been cast over MbS’s reforms, most notably following the arrest of senior officials and businessmen as well activists and critics, not to mention the latest incident involving the murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi.