Saudi Arabia arrests man for wearing Abaya, heels in Khobar’s shopping mall

RIYADH – Saudi Arabia has relaxed stern dress code for women visitors but the Kingdom still holds strict rules against offending religious and social sentiments and sensibilities of the region.

In one such development, an Egyptian man was taken into custody by Saudi Arabia’s law enforcers for donning abaya, and high heels at a shopping mall located in the Eastern region of Khobar.

A clip went viral on social sites showing a man, who reportedly holds Egyptian nationality, roaming in an abaya, which he paired with high-heeled shoes. He was later removed by a guard of shopping mall over the offense.

#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 investigations from the man however his motive behind the bizarre move has not been disclosed as the probe underway.

As the event made headlines in parts of the region, a spokesperson of Saudi province said such actions distort the Kingdom’s image known for good morals in appearance and behaviour.

The act of wearing clothes traditionally associated with the opposite gender is not acceptable in Saudi Arabia, and it can lead to severe consequences including jail time.

Despite the global trend of cross-dressing, Kingdom considers such act as a crime, punishable by up to three years in prison. Two years back, some five people were detained in the Northern Borders province after they filmed themselves in women’s clothes and shared the clip online.