Mutawa'een (Noun)
Meaning
Religious police in Saudi Arabia whose duty is to ensure strict adherence to established codes of conduct; offenders may be detained indefinitely; foreigners are not excluded.
Classification
Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects.
Examples
- The mutawa'een patrol the streets to enforce the strict laws governing social behavior in public places.
- A foreign journalist was detained by the mutawa'een for taking pictures of women without permission in a restricted area.
- The Saudi mutawa'een have been criticized for their excessive use of force and lack of due process in dealing with perceived offenders.
- In Riyadh, the mutawa'een are known to frequently raid shopping centers to catch people who are not adhering to the strict dress codes.
- A British citizen was arrested by the mutawa'een for possessing alcohol while on a business trip to Saudi Arabia.