Saudi clerics want to ban women from TV and print media

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RIYADH (AFP) – Hardline Saudi clerics have called on the government to ban women from appearing on television and to prohibit their images in print media, which they called a sign of growing "deviant thought."

In a letter to new Information Minister Abdul Aziz al-Khoja that appeared on websites this week, the 35 Islamic clerics also condemned the increase of music and dancing on television, as well as images of women in popular newspapers and magazines that they labelled "obscene."

"Our faith in you is great to carry out media reform, for we have seen how perversity is rooted in the ministry of information and culture, on television, radio, in the press, literary clubs, and book fairs," the letter said.

It cited an alleged plan to "westernise" Saudi women by "reducing their rights to a question of removing veils, wearing makeup and mixing with men."

It added that the ministry had permitted the import of "obscene newspapers and magazines that are filled with deviant thought and pictures of beautiful women on its covers and inside."

"There should be no Saudi woman on television, in any case," they said.

"There is no doubt that this is religiously impermissible."

The clerics, including justice officials and academics from a conservative Islamic university, cited several cabinet-endorsed orders and policies from years past which they said supported their argument.

They appeared to be challenging a growing push for liberalisation of tough restrictions on women, including near-mandatory use of black, full-face veils, which are rooted in its ultra-conservative Wahhabi version of Islam.

Both Saudi television and print media increasingly feature women, while Arabic-language magazines showing women in Western garb and makeup are also widely sold in the country.

The letter came in the wake of an information ministry-sponsored book fair in Riyadh in early March at which religious conservatives complained that men and women were allowed to mix freely, and that some books on sale violated Islamic principles.

The book fair was marred by the muttawam, or Islamic morality police, harassing a woman author promoting her book and trying to prevent men from obtaining her autograph.

[Gifted]

They should be banned from going outside too.

[Captain24]

They are doing more acts to make an already gay nation even more gay. Did you read the 35 khaniis Saudi guys that were arrested by the 'Jamacatul Almri bil macruf wal nahyi canil al-munkar'- The American version of FBI?

[Cawar]

They should be banned from going outside too.

Yes unless she has her husband's permission or a mahram is with her.

[Captain24]

They should be banned from going outside too.

Yes unless she has her husband's permission or a mahram is with her.

No, that's if she's going for safar that lasts more than a day, not typical grocery trips

[ModerateMuslim]

these saudi salafi scholars - other than protecting their beloved taghout rulers - are only good for women issues; they're truly 'scholars of women issues'.

[surrender]

if the Saudi clerics are doing this, then how the Royal family feel about it?!

[eyes-only]

@ "deviant thought."


I swear those Saudis get more and more ridiculous by the day. I don't even think they can enforce such a ban....don't they own that MBC channel with all the musalsals and what about satellite tv or are they going to ban everything?

[black velvet]

@ "deviant thought."


I swear those Saudis get more and more ridiculous by the day. I don't even think they can enforce such a ban....don't they own that MBC channel with all the musalsals and what about satellite tv or are they going to ban everything?

I was just about to point that out. I think the Saudi government should be more concerned about their men and those 'deviant thoughts' wtf nimankooda have serious mental problems