A while ago, one of Mike's Saudi co-workers told him a story of how he and his (also Saudi) wife were sitting together on a bench in the mall. They were approached by the Mutawwas (religious police), because men and women are not permitted to be seen together in public. It's ok if you are married or blood related, so when they said "We are married" the Mutawwas demanded proof. Of course, they did not have a marriage certificate handy and their word was not enough. So the Mutawwas took them aside to different rooms and interrogated them individually (presumably with questions like "when is your anniversary" and "what is your spouse's favorite food" and "how many kids do you have") until they were satisfied that they were, in fact, married. Supposedly the whole think took a long time (hours), which is apparently less time than what it would take if they had resisted.
Yikes. But on some level, it's good to know that this happens to Saudis as well as westerners. (This happens not infrequently to US citizens around here, too.)
The reason why I'm posting this now is that I was on the US Consulate website for something else, and I stumbled across the "rules" for Saudi Arabia. I pasted them below so all of you can read up on how to act over here! The rules I pasted below are only for social; I intentionally did not post all the rules, mostly because, Mom, I didn't want to scare you with the 'women are not allowed to leave the country without their husband's permission' stuff. (Of course Mike will always let me leave!! He is not Saudi after all!)
Anyway, check this out: (and I hope it gives you renewed appreciation for our country, even in the midst of all this election garbage, that there is no freedom like our freedom, anywhere else in the world!)
Standards of Conduct and Religious Police: Islam is
the official religion of the country and pervades all aspects of life in
Saudi Arabia. Public display of non-Islamic
religious articles such as crosses and Bibles is
not permitted. Non-Muslims are forbidden to travel to Makkah (Mecca)
and
Madinah, the cities where the two holiest
mosques of Islam are located. Norms for public behavior in Saudi Arabia
are extremely
conservative, and the Commission on Promotion of
Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (CPVPV), the religious police
(Mutawwa
or Al-Hay’ah colloquially), are charged with
enforcing these standards on behalf of the CPVPV. Mutawwa are required
to carry
special identification and usually are
accompanied by uniformed police; however, in some cases they have
detained persons
without police presence. To ensure that
conservative standards of conduct are observed, the Saudi religious
police have accosted
or arrested foreigners, including U.S. citizens,
for improper dress or other alleged infractions, such as consumption of
alcohol
or association by a female with a male to whom
she is not related. Mutawwa who are accompanied by a uniformed police
officer
have the power to take you to police or Mutawwa
headquarters. If a uniformed police officer is present, you must (if
requested)
hand over your iqama or identification to the
police officer. While most incidents have resulted only in inconvenience
or
embarrassment, the potential exists for an
individual to be arrested, physically harmed or deported. U.S. citizens
who are
involved in an incident with the Mutawwa should
report the incident to the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh or the U.S. Consulates
General
in Jeddah or Dhahran.
In most areas of Saudi Arabia, and particularly
in Riyadh and the central part of the Kingdom, women wear a full-length
black
covering known as an Abaya, and cover their
heads. Women who choose not to conform to this dress code face a risk of
confrontation
by Mutawwa and possible detention/arrest. Men
should not wear shorts in public or go without a shirt.
Many areas of life in Saudi Arabia are
segregated by sex to ensure that unrelated men and women have no
possibility of "mingling"
(khulwa, a punishable crime). Some Mutawwa try
to enforce the rule that men and women who are beyond childhood years
may not
mingle in public unless they are family or close
relatives. Mutawwa may ask to see proof that a couple is married or
related.
Women who are arrested for socializing with a
man who is not a relative may be charged with prostitution. Some
restaurants,
particularly fast-food outlets, have refused to
serve women who are not accompanied by a close male relative. In
addition,
some restaurants or cafes don’t have a "family
section" in which women are permitted to eat. These restrictions are not
always
posted. This is more common in Riyadh and the
more conservative central Nejd region.
Dancing, playing music, and showing movies in public are forbidden.
ENTRY / EXIT REQUIREMENTS FOR U.S. CITIZENS: A passport valid for at least six months and a visa are required for entry. Visas are issued for business and work, to visit
close relatives, and for transit and religious visits by Muslims. All Saudi Embassies have the authority to issue
the 5-year visas, but only the Saudi Embassy in
Washington, D.C., and Consulates in the U.S. appear to be doing so with
any
consistency. There have been reports by U.S.
citizens that they were refused a Saudi visa because their passports
reflected
travel to Israel or indicated that they were
born in Israel. Women visitors and residents must be met by their
sponsor upon
arrival. Women who are traveling alone and are
not met by sponsors have experienced delays before being allowed to
enter the
country or to continue on other flights.
A Saudi man who wishes to marry a foreign woman is required by law to
seek the permission of Saudi authorities. Since February
20, 2008, a regulation exists requiring the
Saudi man to sign a document giving irrevocable permission to his
foreign wife
and the children born of their union to travel
in and out of the country without restrictions. However, it seems this
document
is rarely demanded by authorities and in any
event it is not retroactive. Even with such documentation, the foreign
spouse
and their children may still have difficulty
leaving Saudi Arabia freely. Also, if a couple consisting of a foreigner
and
a Saudi living in Saudi Arabia divorce, the
foreign parent cannot under any circumstances leave the country with the
children
born of their union even if he or she is granted
custody rights.
CRIME: Crime in Saudi Arabia has steadily increased
over recent years, but remains at levels below most major metropolitan
areas
in the United States. Visitors should take
precautions to reduce their risk of becoming victims of crime. It is advisable to travel with a
companion, if possible. Private Saudi citizens who perceive that a
foreigner
is not observing conservative standards of
conduct have been known to harass, pursue, or assault that person. The
U.S. Embassy
in Riyadh cautions U.S. citizens that Saudi
Arabian police authorities have detained potential witnesses to crimes
without
charges or access to legal counsel, and with
limited or delayed consular access, during the investigative stage of
criminal
cases, which can take months. On occasion, Saudi
authorities have temporarily confiscated the personal effects of
detained
potential witnesses. Even when released from
detention, witnesses to criminal incidents may be prohibited from
leaving the
country until investigation of the incident is
complete.
CRIMINAL PENALTIES: While in
Saudi Arabia, you are subject to its laws and regulations, which
sometimes differ significantly from those in the
United States and may not afford the protections
available to the individual under U.S. law. Penalties for breaking the
law
can be more severe than in the United States for
similar offenses. The Saudi Government requires diplomatic missions to
request
visits to incarcerated individuals via formal
diplomatic channels, which often causes delays in providing consular
access
to those citizens.
Persons violating Saudi Arabian laws, even
unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested, imprisoned, or even executed.
Suspects
may be detained without charges or legal
counsel, and with limited consular access, for months during the
investigative stage
of criminal cases Penalties for the import,
manufacture, possession, and consumption of alcohol or illegal drugs in
Saudi
Arabia are severe. Convicted offenders can
expect long jail sentences, heavy fines, public floggings, and/or
deportation.
The penalty for drug trafficking in Saudi Arabia
is death. Saudi officials make no exceptions. Customs inspections at
ports
of entry are thorough. The U.S. Embassy and
Consulates General have no standing in Saudi courts to obtain leniency
for a U.S.
citizen convicted of alcohol or drug offenses.
Saudi authorities do not permit criticism of
Islam or the royal family. The government prohibits the public practice
of religions
other than Islam. Non-Muslims suspected of
violating these restrictions have been jailed. Homosexual activity and
adultery
are considered to be criminal offenses and those
convicted may be sentenced to lashing, prison, or death.
While some countries will automatically notify
the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate if a U.S. citizen is detained or
arrested
in a foreign country, that might not always be
the case. To ensure that the United States is aware of your
circumstances,
request that the police and prison officials
notify the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate as soon as you are arrested
or detained
in Saudi Arabia. While staff at U.S. Embassy and
Consulates General will make every effort to visit incarcerated U.S.
citizens,
they may experience delays in obtaining
permission from the Saudi authorities for the visit.
Saudi customs authorities enforce strict regulations concerning
importation into Saudi Arabia of such banned items as alcohol
products, weapons, and any item that is held to
be contrary to the tenets of Islam, such as pork products and
pornography.
Imported and domestic audiovisual media and
reading matter are censored.
Saudi customs and postal officials broadly
define what is contrary to Islam and therefore prohibited. Christmas
decorations,
fashion magazines, and "suggestive" videos may
be confiscated and the owner subject to penalties and fines.
TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS: While in Saudi
Arabia, you may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from
those in the United States. The information
below concerning Saudi Arabia is provided for
general reference only, and may not necessarily apply to all locations
and circumstances.
Temporary male visitors may drive on their U.S. driver's license.
U.S. men employed in Saudi Arabia should obtain a local
driver's license from the Department of Traffic
Police. Women are not allowed to drive or ride bicycles on public roads.
Traffic accidents are a significant hazard in
Saudi Arabia. Driving habits are generally poor, and accidents involving
vehicles
driven by minors are not uncommon. In the event
of a traffic accident resulting in personal injury, all persons involved
(if
not seriously injured) may be taken to the local
police station. Drivers are likely to be held for several days until
responsibility
is determined and any reparations paid. In many
cases, all drivers involved in an accident are held in custody
regardless
of fault. U.S. citizens involved in an accident
should immediately contact their sponsor and the U.S. Embassy or nearest
U.S.
Consulate.
