Valentine's Day hype is at unimaginable level everywhere and everyone will have a say about the day “Especially” dedicated to love.
Chocolates, teddy bears, roses, late romantic dinner, surprises as
well as showing love and affection publicly are what everyone has on their minds.
However, that won’t happen in some parts of the world.
Saudi Arabia is one of the countries
where valentine celebrations in banned and selling roses, red products and
love-themed cards are banned in advance of February 14. On this day, the
streets are patrolled by religious police known as “Haia” or “Mutawas” who make
raids at flower shops and confiscate any red items that are symbols of love
with valentine’s themes. The police also arrest individuals who tend to show
affection publicly and this applies to married couples as well.
Therefore, many tend to celebrate
the V-day indoors so as to save themselves from getting in the wrong side of
the laws. You shouldn’t forget that you are in Saudi Arabia and not the streets
of Nairobi or Mombasa thus below are some don'ts you should have in mind.
-Don’t visit
flower shops on valentine’s day-“Mutawas” are
always around every flower shops and will have the authority to arrest anyone
they suspect of being sneaky.
-Don’t go
out with you partner and show affection publicly- this is deemed
indecent under Saudi laws and you can be lashed for this.
-Avoid going
to parks as a group of couples- Many couples
come together and try to have time together in public where all kinds of people
meet.
-Don’t Party-Alcohol,
mingling of people of opposite sex are punishable under Saudi laws therefore try
as much as possible to avoid group celebrations either in Public or privately—There
is no Galileo’s or Casablanca here.
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