Manama: Saudi authorities have arrested 35 people, all Asians, for taking part in a loud party.
The revellers, 25 men and 10 women, were reportedly celebrating the birthday of one of them in a recreational area near the sacred city of Makkah.
Members of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, the religious police, seized quantities of drinks and drugs at the party, Saudi news site Sabq reported on Tuesday.
The members ended the party and arrested the Asians who were dancing to the tunes of the loud music, the report said.
One of those arrested admitted the party was organised to mark the birthday of one of the participants.
Some social media users said that the party-goers should be severely punished for bringing hard liquor and drugs to the party.
Others said they were shocked that a “depraved party” could be held near the holy city of Makkah.
A few users said the detainees should be deported only after serving jail terms in Saudi Arabia “because that is where they committed their anti-social crime”.
In June, the authorities arrested several people in Jeddah following raids on two parties in which most participants were homosexuals.
The raids, which were conducted simultaneously at dawn in recreational facilities, also led to the seizure of locally produced alcoholic drinks and hashish. Those who were arrested were referred to the police.
