Gulf | Saudi Arabia
Saudi man arrested over TV boasts
Divorcee accused of sexual bragging complains that interview was shown in distorted manner.
- By Abdul Rahman Shaheen, Correspondent
- Published: 22:19 August 1, 2009
Riyadh: Jeddah police have detained Mazen Abdul Jawad, a Saudi man who bragged about his sex life on popular Lebanese television channel LBC two weeks ago from his apartment.
In an early morning swoop on Friday, two other men who had appeared with Mazen in the weekly TV programme Bold Red Line were also detained for interrogation.
Abdul Jawad has been living in the rented apartment for years. He stayed on in the apartment after his wife and four children left him following a divorce.
Maj. Gen. Ali Al Gamdi, director of Jeddah Police, told reporters that the case was referred to the Commission for Public Prosecution and Investigation. Lt. Col. Sulaiman Al Mutaiwe'e, acting spokesman of Jeddah Police, said Abdul Jawad was fingerprinted, photographed and handed over to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID).
He said police searched Abdul Jawad's house during the arrest and obtained a videocassette of the controversial TV programme, which would be tested to verify whether the voice is his. There were reports earlier that police arrested Abdul Jawad on an earlier occasion because of the public anger caused by his boasting about sexual exploits.
In the programme, Mazen detailed his sexual adventures, beginning with when he had sex with a neighbour at the age of 14.
After triggering public outrage and protest at the programme, the Lebanese channel announced plans to stop the controversial programme.
Several Saudis acted swiftly with calls to punish Abdul Jawad for such a grave crime, alien to Saudi society. About 200 Saudis filed a lawsuit in a Jeddah court. Several Saudis have been demanding in the local press and websites that he get an exemplary punishment.
In another development, Abdul Rahman Al Hazza, media spokesman at the Ministry of Culture and Information, said that the ministry branch in Jeddah had received a complaint from Abdul Jawad against LBC.
In the petition, the Saudi man levelled allegations that producers showed the programme without taking into consideration his demands and conditions.
"We will examine the petition thoroughly and will take an appropriate decision on this," he said, adding that the petition was referred to the legal department at the ministry to ascertain its legal validity.
Last week, Abdul Jawad unveiled plans to sue the channel for concealing a major portion of the interview and showing it in a distorted manner.
He said he approached the office of lawyer Ashraf Al Siraj to sue the channel and seek compensation. However, the lawyer said he has only been giving legal advice.
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