Two stories published this week have indicated growing objections in Saudi Arabia to activities of the country's Commission for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice—the official police who enforce Islamic legal restrictions. On Thursday, The Economist reported that the press and public have increasingly complained about excessive zeal by the religious police —with some individuals actually suggesting that the Commission should be abolished. For the first time, one woman is demanding compensation for injuries suffered in an accident when agents recklessly drove her to headquarters for questioning. However, according to The Economist, the Commission serves the useful purpose of helping to solve the high unemployment problem in the country and absorbing the oversupply of Saudis who have obtained degrees in religious studies.
Meanwhile, Friday's Washington Post reports that three members of the religious police will stand trial today in the death of a former border patrol guard who died in their custody after being arrested for inviting a woman unrelated to him into his car. Officials are also investigating another death—this one of a man accused of possessing large amounts of alcohol. He died after being handcuffed and beaten by Commission police. Authorities are investigating other incidents as well. [Thanks to Jefferson Gray for the lead.]
UPDATE: The AP reported on Sunday that the trial of the 3 religious police force members has been postponed temporarily because documents presented by the victim's family were incomplete.
