57 Saudi youths arrested for flirting with girls in malls

Riyadh: The religious police ordered the arrest of 57 youths this week for flirting with girls in malls in Makkah, The Saudi Gazette reported on Saturday.

The young men were detained on Thursday evening by regular police officers following a request from the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, the English-language daily reported.

They were accused of wearing "indecent clothing and playing loud music and dancing" to attract the attention of the women, it added.

Members of the commission, known as the Muttawa, patrol public areas to ensure strict adherence to religious ideals.