Woman's claim of attack by religious police to be probed
Madinah governor vows investigation after doctor and her uncle are allegedly accosted after losing their way
Riyadh: Madinah Governor Prince Abdul Aziz Bin Majid has assured a Saudi doctor who was allegedly assaulted by religious policemen that stringent action would be taken against the culprits.
The Saudi doctor, who prefers to be called M.N. Al Shammari, formally lodged a complaint against the religious policemen with the governor. "The governor sympathetically listened to what I had to say when I met him on Saturday," Okaz Arabic daily quoted her as saying.
The doctor said that she was attacked when she arrived in Madinah. "Accompanied by my maternal uncle, I boarded a bus from Yanbu to Madinah. My purpose was to submit an application at the Saudi Authority for Medical Specialisations (SAMS) to issue a medical licence, which is essential for practising as a doctor. After alighting the bus, we took a limousine to reach SAMS' regional headquarters," she said while recounting her harrowing experience.
Lost
According to the doctor, the limousine drove around several districts because they were lost.
She said two vehicles stopped in front of their car and five people jumped out. She said she screamed for help because she thought they were thieves. "I was beaten up by one of them. After threatening me, he forcefully removed my veil and put his hand on my mouth. They also dragged us out of the car."
M.N. said a GMC vehicle with the logo of the religious police pulled up and officials from the vehicle stopped the attackers. She said by that time, the attackers had torn her abaya and veil.
The doctor recalled that one of them then shouted questions at her including asking for her identification. She said when she and her uncle showed their identification the man said: "We are religious policemen in plain clothes. Please get into the vehicle. We will take you to your destination."
She said they apologised, found the two of them a hotel room and gave them 500 riyals (Dh488) and a bundle of mint. She said she believed they did that to prevent her from lodging a complaint.
