RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Saudi Arabia dismissed on Monday (18 June) the director of its entertainment authority, state media said, following a reaction from conservatives opposing a circus with women dressed in tight suits.
“Ahmad al-Khatib, president of saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, has been removed from office,” the saudi official news firm (SPA) said, citing a royal decree, without giving a reason.
Pro-government newsman Sabq said Khatib had been fired due to a debatable circus exhibition in Riyadh, which included women dressed in “indecent clothing. “
A video circulating on social media gave the impression of showing an artist in a tight pink suit, prompting outrage from Saudi arch-conservatives.
Saudi officials responded to Agence France-Presse’s requests for comment.
Khatib’s dismissal comes amid the extensive liberalization campaign of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, which ended decades of bans and cinemas and allowed for concerts combined.
Khatib had led a multimillion-dollar initiative to turn the austere desert kingdom into a cultural and entertainment center.
The reaction opposed to what has been widely known online as a Russian circus highlights the demanding situations facing the prince as he seeks to modernize a country steeped in conservatism.
“Cynics who dismiss the colossal demanding situations facing (the prince) in their social reforms deserve to watch this video of young Saudis passionately denouncing the presence of a Russian circus with artists in their country,” tweeted Ali Shihabi, director of pro-Saudi. , a group of experts based in Washington, Arabia Foundation.
Shihabi’s video included a view of a circus cup and monologues through several men who emphasized a desire to respect Islamic principles.
“Moral rupture”
Conservative petrostate has some of the strictest restrictions in the world for women, who must wear abaya dresses that envelop the framework in public.
In April, the Saudi sports government closed a women’s fitness center in Riyadh due to a debatable promotional video that gave the impression of showing a woman in tight sportswear.
In defending the decision, Saud al-Qahtani, a media adviser to the royal court, said at the time that the kingdom was on its way to “moderation without ethical rupture. “
Later that month, the sports authority apologized for a promotional video of a WWE occasion showing dressed wrestlers attracting euphoric cheers from men and women.
Khatib, appointed in 2016 to lead the country’s entertainment authority, is considered the main driving force behind the kingdom’s social transformation.
“This authority has been a key player in driving social replacement in the kingdom and has been heavily criticized by conservatives,” Shihabi tweeted.
In February, the General Entertainment Authority announced that it would host more than 5,000 festivals and concerts in 2018, double last year’s number and inject $64 billion over the next decade.
The reform stems in part from an economic incentive to increase domestic spending on entertainment at a time when the kingdom has been going through an oil crisis since 2014.
Saudis have spent billions of dollars a year lately watching videos and amusement parks at nearby resorts such as Dubai and Bahrain.
Khatib’s overthrow follows a major reorganization of the previous cabinets this month that saw a strong impact on culture and religion, as the kingdom undergoes a primary review of its image.
It is the main moment of government replacement since the appointment of Prince Mohammed, the king’s son, as heir to the region’s greatest hard throne. – Rappler. com