5.52 PM Friday, 29 March 2024
  • City Fajr Shuruq Duhr Asr Magrib Isha
  • Dubai 04:56 06:10 12:26 15:53 18:37 19:52
29 March 2024

Tunisian female poet vs Saudi religious police

Published
By Staff

A well-known Tunisian female poet faced an awkward situation in Saudi Arabia when a senior religious policeman ordered her out of a cultural festival where she was reciting poems at the invitation of official organisers.

Jamila Al Majiri had just taken the podium and began reciting poetry at the historic Okaz cultural festival and market near the capital Riyadh, when she was ordered out by a senior official in the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, Saudi Arabia’s influential police.

A YouTube film published in Saudi newspapers showed the official triggering a furore when he stood up and began shouting.

The film showed the official himself was faced with tough opposition from the audience. Two uniformed policemen later came and escorted him out of the hall before Majiri resumed her performance.