Saudi Shoura to discuss new law to protect public taste and ethics in the holy lands

Cii Radio| Ayesha Ismail| 07 February 2018| 20 Jumadul Ula 1439

The draft law for the protection of public taste, which will be discussed by the Shoura (Consultative) Council in the upcoming sessions, has listed 45 violations under four categories. The law has proposed specific penalties for each category of violations.

Al-Hayat Arabic daily, which has obtained a copy of the draft law, said there are 17 violations related to road and public facilities.

Violators will be asked to pay fines ranging between SR300 and SR3,000 once the offence was established, it added.

The punishment includes imprisonment for two months or both fine and jail sentence, the paper said. These violations include sitting in the resting places of the elderly and people with special needs and tarnishing public facilities with graffiti.

Amongst the other violations are throwing waste on roads and public facilities, distribution of publications at homes and establishments, pasting advertisements and notices on public walls, doors and facilities and causing harassment to pedestrians and users of roads and public utilities.

The draft law has considered obstruction and disruption of works at public facilities and roads directly or indirectly without any justification as one of the punishable violations, the paper pointed out.

Displaying contact details on vehicles and using bright lights on public roads and facilities causing harm to others fall under the category of major violations.

Other punishable violations are littering, cutting and burning of trees and holding parties in non-designated places.

Smoking in forbidden places, raising animals among residential buildings or neighbourhoods, leaving animals to wander in streets without taking care and putting things in undesignated places are other violations identified by the law.

The second section of violations has specified six violations relating to mosques, and its punishment included fines between SR300 to SR3,000 or two-month imprisonment or both.

These violations include entering mosques wearing an inappropriate dress or with unclean clothes that emit an odour and making loud sounds of amusement and musical instruments.

Those found obstructing the way of worshipers to the mosque or selling goods in the courtyards of mosques will also be fined.

Causing disturbance to worshipers using electronic devices or use them in a way that violates the sanctity of mosque will be considered a violation as well.

No beggars will be allowed in front of the mosque, along with those collecting donations and distributing advertisements.

The third section of the law has specified 11 violations punishable by three-month imprisonment or fines ranging between SR300 and SR3,000 or both. These include all forms of bullying, using shameful, racist and abusive words for the purpose of domination, ridicule or laughter. Such offences are punishable under the new law.

The law considers all kinds of attack on women and children on roads and public facilities in words, actions or negligence as punishable violations. Ridiculing persons with special needs, the elderly, children and women or insulting them in any form is also punishable violations under the new law.

Animals will also be protected as anyone found intentionally harming animals will be found in direct violation of the law.

Any form of noise and disturbance to the public, placing inappropriate words and images on clothes, vehicles and properties, overtaking others who stand in the queue to receive public services and obstructing access of emergency vehicles to accident sites are punishable by the law.

Source – Saudi Gazette