Man arrested for wearing Abaya in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia has relaxed its strict dress code for female visitors, but the Kingdom still has strict rules against offending the region’s religious and social sentiments and sensibilities.
In one such case, a Saudi Arabian law enforcement officer detained an Egyptian man for wearing an abaya and high heels at a shopping mall in the Eastern region of Khobar.
A video went viral on social media showing a man, who reportedly has Egyptian nationality, walking around in an abaya and high-heeled shoes. A shopping mall guard later removed him for the offence.
Man arrested for wearing Abaya in Saudi Arabia, watch the video:
#فيديو | فتاة تصاب بالذهول عند رؤية رجل يرتدي “عباية و كعب” برفقة الأمن في احد المولات بـ #الخبر.
pic.twitter.com/TZwwzQlnPk— شامل نيوز 🇰🇼 (@shamel__news) August 28, 2023
Saudi police continued to investigate the man, but his motivation for the bizarre move has not been revealed while the investigation is ongoing.
Also read: Why has Saudi Arabia ‘banned’ new Spider-Man movie?
As the event made headlines across the region, a Saudi provincial spokesperson stated that such actions distort the Kingdom’s image as a model of morality in appearance and behavior.
Wearing clothing traditionally associated with the opposite gender is not acceptable in Saudi Arabia and can result in severe penalties, including jail time.
Despite the global trend of transgender people, the Kingdom considers such behavior to be a crime punishable by up to three years in prison.
Five people were detained in the Northern Borders province two years ago after filming themselves in women’s clothing and sharing the video online.
