Several have been arrested in Saudi Arabia after a clip of them dancing and drinking alcohol was shared widely on social media.
Police reportedly used the viral footage of a rooftop party in Jeddah to identify and detain attendees. The video shows individuals contravening the Kingdom’s strict laws regarding gender mixing and alcohol, as women and men are seen dancing and drinking together.
حفلة لبعض افراد من الجاليه السوريه فوق سطوح عمارة في جدة حي الحمراء وسارية العلم واضحة pic.twitter.com/utCmFC1ysG
— سلطان العنزي (@fffffffiiop) December 23, 2016
Party for some members of the Syrian community on the rooftop of a building in the Hamra district of Jeddah and the flagpole can be clearly seen.
A special task force set up by Jeddah police were able to identify the location of the party because the world’s largest flagpole, a Jeddah landmark, can be seen in the images.
The Jordanian organizer of the party has been apprehended as he tried to leave the country and three Lebanese women have also been questioned on suspicion of taking part.
As the authorities continue their search to identify partygoers, the case has been referred to the Bureau of Investigation and Prosecution, which will decide whether to press charges.
Many Saudi commenters have supported the action of the authorities, calling for harsh punishments:
@News_Brk24 يتعاقبوا ويرحلون رجل او امرأة اي كانت جنسيته
— soso abed (@sosoabed4) December 27, 2016
They will be punished and sent away. Man or woman, whatever their nationalities.
The ultraconservative country’s religious police strictly enforce discipline for what they see as any kind of moral violation, whether committed by a Saudi or a foreigner.
Social media is increasingly being used to identify such transgressions. Early this month, a young woman was arrested after a photograph of her without a hijab or abaya in Riyadh was widely shared on social media. Last week, two Syrian men were detained for their pro-regime posts about events in their country.
RA
