2 Saudi men arrested for offering free hugs

[Syrian Lion]

2 Saudi men arrested for offering free hugs

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Two Saudis have been detained in the country’s capital for offering free hugs to passers-by. The local police arrested them for ‘indulging in exotic practices’ and offending public order.

One of the campaigners announced on Twitter that he would offer free hugs to the public on Tahlia Street, a popular shopping area in Riyadh. The men advertised free hugs on a placard, Al-Hayat newspaper reported.

Later, they were arrested by the religious police, the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, who are charged with ensuring that Sharia law is strictly obeyed.

The two had to sign a pledge that they would not offer hugs again.

Both men participate in the free hugs movement established to ‘brighten up’ people’s lives, which started after a young Saudi man, Bandr Swed, posted a video of himself offering hugs to male strangers on YouTube. The footage got almost 1.5 million views in just a couple of days.

"After seeing the Free Hugs Campaign in many different countries, I decided to do it in my own country. I liked the idea and thought it could bring happiness to Saudi Arabia," the man told Al Arabiya.

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The video reportedly inspired two young Saudis, Abdulrahman Khayyal and a friend, to start their own campaign on the Saudi streets.

The country’s religious police force which prevented them from carrying out their campaign is called Mutawa, and its responsibilities include preventing women driving, enforcing modest dress codes, policing bans on public entertainment and making sure all businesses close for prayers five times a day.

The police reacted to the complaints of the local families and individuals who reported the men's actions.

2 Saudi men arrested for offering free hugs — RT News
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some countries are still worried about hugs, and women driving...

 

[--,-'{@]

lol at saudi rulers of sa shud gon die somewhere.

 

[energym]

Soon Saudi spokes person Al Hasni will denounce it. He does not consider RT news as credible. It is a propaganda against KSA.

Soon he will drag Iran,Syria and Hizbulla into it as Al Asad paid for publishing this news.

 

[Syrian Lion]

Soon Saudi spokes person Al Hasni will denounce it. He does not consider RT news as credible. It is a propaganda against KSA.

Soon he will drag Iran,Syria and Hizbulla into it as Al Asad paid for publishing this news.

just in case he starts complaining about the source

2 Men Arrested For Giving 'Free Hugs' In Saudi Arabia

and his beloved Aljazeera

Saudi police arrest two over 'free hugs' - Middle East - Al Jazeera English

 

[flamer84]

""After seeing the Free Hugs Campaign in many different countries, I decided to do it in my own country. I liked the idea and thought it could bring happiness to Saudi Arabia," the man told Al Arabiya."

Well,it didn't.It only brought the religious police.

 

[boomslang]

They should have known that they would get into trouble. Look where they live. IDIOTS !!

 

[Syrian Lion]

They should have known that they would get into trouble. Look where they live. IDIOTS !!

They thought an American ally wouldn't mind hugs

 

[Surenas]

They should have known that they would get into trouble. Look where they live. IDIOTS !!

Must be the most stupidest remark I've heard in a while. All positive changes in countries or parts of the world have been established by people who dared to swim against the tide.

 

[boomslang]

...All positive changes in countries or parts of the world have been established by people who dared to swim against the tide.

True, but that doesn't help them much, does it ? If they go to prison, was it worth it ? To give a hug ? As the saying goes, 'Discretion is the better part of valor.' That means, 'don't be stupid, nutsack'.

 

[Falcon29]

So?

 

[Ahmad Masood]

Why were they arrested? for free hugs? should they have charged money for hugs to avoid this arrest?

 

[al-Hasani]

Nonsense news spread by the mouthpiece of the Ruskies and the Al-Jazeera outfit of the fat Indian looking elephant always bitching about their big brother in KSA.

Qatar must be annexed and it will. Part of the ancient Dilmun civilization, Bahrain region and Eastern Arabia of which most of all those past civilizations, territories are located in the Eastern province of KSA.

Tired of that little peninsula. Belongs to us.

And of course this is the English Al-Jazeera outlet always sucking up to the West thinking they are worth anything other than toilet paper.
About time for a boycott.

People greet each other in public with kisses on the checks and hugging is very common. What nonsense. FFS I have done it 1000 times in MAKKAH of all places.

Maybe an angry policeman wanted to make a statement thinking they might be gay and this got all big news by anti-KSA "news-outlets" lead by that little Qatar and the Ruskies RT mouthpiece.

Same with that Emirati guy that got "deported" from KSA during the Janadriya cultural and heritage festival. Made up story once again.

People better ignore such nonsense.
But at the other hand this is good. Will keep unwanted elements out from the country.

 

[KAL-EL]

I was literally just reading about this somewhere else a few minutes ago. This story can't possibly be true, can it? it just seems so incredibly absurd.

 

[Therealtruth]

I was literally just reading about this somewhere else a few minutes ago. This story can't possibly be true, can it? it just seems so incredibly absurd.

how absurd can it be? women are getting arrested for driving, immigrants are being deported for being immigrants. all major news agencies are reporting it. there are pictures and video. Are you trying to create doubt or are you simply trying to willfully deny reality?

They should have known that they would get into trouble. Look where they live. IDIOTS !!

They thought they were free. So their despots had to remind them otherwise.

 

[p(-)0ENiX]

I was literally just reading about this somewhere else a few minutes ago. This story can't possibly be true, can it? it just seems so incredibly absurd.

According to a local news outlet (Saudi Gazette), two arrests may have taken place.

Open arms

Apparently inspired by Bandr Al-Swed’s video, another youth Abdulrahman Al-Khayyal went out onto Tahlia street along with a friend carrying a placard saying ‘free hugs’. But according to reports, the two men were arrested and their ‘free hugs’ banners seized.

This report states that the two arrested individuals decided to imitate the person that initially started the campaign here. Anyway, members can check out the above source for any updates to the story.