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Wednesday, August 01, 2007

Latest news from Saudi vice squad

I just love the Saudi Arab News! And my favorite articles involve the famous Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, or CftPoVatPoV as its many fans like to call it.

This week's news:
The lawyer of the family that saw members of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice acquitted on Monday in the death of a Saudi national said they will appeal the decision of the judges in the case.

The three judges presiding over the case ruled that the three commission members and a security guard were not guilty of any wrongdoing in the death of Ahmed Al-Bulawi, a 50-year-old Saudi man who collapsed and died in early June after being detained at a commission center in Tabuk....

A part-time commission member in Tabuk arrested Ahmed Al-Bulawi, a retired border patrol guard, in early June after a woman was spotted entering his car near an amusement park. Both Al-Bulawi and the woman were reported to be in a state of “illegal seclusion”. They were arrested and taken to the commission center.

At the center, it was established that the man worked as a driver for the family and would run errands to earn extra cash to support his family. The woman was released after her brother picked her up at the center. Al-Bulawi, on the other hand, collapsed and died. An official medical report said that he died of natural causes due to a sudden heart attack.
Also...
The Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice in Madinah recently arrested an African national, who was practicing black magic at a house in a village outside Madinah. Police and commission members had been on the lookout for the man — the third member of a gang of magicians — since last year.

The commission members’ searched the man’s home and found several items used in black magic and a letter to another magician in Africa. In the letter, the man requested the help of the magician to secure the release of his friends that were arrested last year.

Not to mention...
The Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice in Madinah began this week a series of summer activities aimed at reaching out to the youth and teaching them Islamic principles.

The activities, which are entitled “Discover Happiness by Yourself,” began earlier this week and will run for 10 days. “They are taking place in the Al-Sultana District of Madinah. The activities include lectures, quizzes and fun events,” said Sulaiman Al-Tuwaijri, head of the commission in Madinah.

Talking about the aim of the programs, Al-Tuwaijri said, “The main aim is to increase awareness among the youth regarding Islamic principles and to highlight what is wrong. We aim at solving the social, religious and psychological problems faced by youngsters. The activities aim to show the youth the path of future success.”

Abdullah Al-Zahrani, the general supervisor of the events, said that the commission hopes to provide an opportunity for youths to enjoy their summer and invest their time in something useful.

“We have selected the location of the activities close to areas where youths gather in order to attract them. It is much better for youth to attend these events than go around in malls, which may put them in trouble with the authorities,” said Al-Zahrani.