No Haia raids in Riyadh without official consent

Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — Chairman of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (Haia) in Riyadh Sheikh Turki Al-Shilail has instructed the commission's field workers never to raid homes, rest houses or camps without first referring to him for guidance. He gave the new instructions in a circular, which was distributed to all the Haia's offices in the region. Shilail also asked field workers not to leave their areas of work to go to other areas without his consent. He also asked them to provide him with daily reports on his e-mail address about the cases they deal with every day. Informed sources said the chairman's directive was aimed at preventing field members from committing excesses while carrying out their work. There have been several complaints of gross violations by Hai members, the latest of which was when they interrupted a live television broadcast at the venue of the Riyadh Book Fair where they chastised the program presenter for allowing her guest to appear on TV without wearing hijab. The Haia has recently introduced a one-year diploma course with Umm Al-Qura University to qualify its new members for the field work. The Haia nominated 260 of its members from all over the region to benefit from the course, which will cover all aspects of Shariah. The Haia made it a condition for anyone wishing to join it to pass the course.