The Department of Foreign Affairs has issued a reminder to Filipinos in Saudi Arabia to follow its new public decency rules.
“The new regulation helps ensure that travellers to Saudi Arabia are reminded of laws that concern public behavior,” the DFA said in a statement, Wednesday.
Fines for first time violators range from
50 to 3,000 Saudi riyals or around Php690 to Php41,000.00
The following are the new set of public rules:
– Indecent behavior that includes any act of sexual nature
– Playing music in high volume inside a residential area without obtaining a prior approval
– Playing music during prayer times
– Non-removal of pet excrement by owner
– Littering and spitting
– Occupying the seats and facilities designated for the elderly and the disabled
– Bypassing barriers to access public places
– Wearing improper clothing in public places; wearing clothes that bear profane language or images and symbols encouraging obscenity, discrimination, racism, or drug use
– Vandalizing public transportation vehicles and public walls
– Placing commercial labels and distributing flyers in public places without permission
– Igniting fires in non-designated areas in parks and public places
– Any act, whether physical or verbal, that may harm, frighten, or endanger any individual
– Skipping waiting lines in public places, unless permitted
– Taking pictures or videos of people, traffic accidents, crimes or other incidents without permission
Saudi Police is the lone government agency to implement the guidelines and monitor the violations.
DFA said that the penalties get bigger if the offender continues to commit violations.
