100 women held for illegal gathering in Saudi Arabia

Cairo: Saudi security authorities had arrested 100 women for attending a gathering violating rules against COVID-19, a police official said, as the kingdom has stepped up a clampdown on unlawful gatherings to stem the contagious ailment.

The women were arrested at an event in the governorate of Beesha in Saudi Arabia’s border of Jizan, spokesman for the local police Major Naif Hakami added with giving details about the nature of the gathering.

He said that penalties were applied to the organiser of the illegal gathering and the attendees.

The arrests were the second made in Jizan in less than a week. Earlier, 121 women were arrested for attending an illegal wedding gathering in violation of regulations aimed to stem the spread of COVID-19 in Jizan’s governorate of Al Darb.

Earlier this month, Saudi Arabia announced an updated list of fines against violators of virus-controlling regulations including a fine of SR40,000 for the person responsible for social gatherings such as funerals and parties, exceeding the specified numbers of people.

Any person attending such gatherings is fined SR5,000 for the first time with the fine doubled on repetition and could reach SR100,000.

Invitation to such gatherings is punishable by SR10,000 for the first time. The penalty can reach up to SR100,000 on repetition and referral to public prosecution to consider imprisonment.

Violations, punishable by a fine of SR10,000, include refusing to have temperature checked at entrances, failing to wear face masks and observe social distancing, as well as withholding information of health status through the designated apps.

Saudi Arabia initiated mass vaccinations against COVID-19. Over 13 million doses have since been administered at 587 inoculation centres across the kingdom, according to the Health Ministry.

The ministry urged everyone in the kingdom to register to receive vaccination via the Sehaty app, using the link: http: //onelink.to/yjc.3nj