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Following her description of the religious police as "ex-convicts and drug addicts", Saudi judge demands withdrawing the nationality of a female journalist, and a Saudi male journalist responds by publishing an article about her, using explicit sexual harassment terms

Iqbal Tamimi

Saudi journalist, Nadine Albodair, is facing again a wave of harsh criticism, that even a Saudi judge demanded withdrawing her Saudi nationality, on grounds that she has offended the Saudi people and the Saudi Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice.

This reaction came after an interview of Albodair  by Egyptian journalist Wael AlAbrashy during Alhaqeeqah show 'truth' , that was broadcasted on two episodes, during which she described the members of the religious police in Saudi Arabia as a 'gang', and ‘'ex-convicts and drug addicts’.

Few days after her statement, Albodair was attacked in the most vicious and indecent manner on different Saudi websites an on line forums, but the most shocking response came as a short abusive article written by a Saudi male journalist who published his article at the Saudi newspaper ‘Asharq’.

In his published article he talked in a sarcastic tone about her beautiful legs,  undermining her journalistic professionalism, hinting that her sexual appeal attracts audience to watch her show. He wrote ‘her legs will guarantee that people will follow-up and run fast to watch her television show,  because the Arab viewer is not less enthusiastic than the Saudi one who is eager to see any product of a 'Saudi women' exposed to open air not wearing 'tights' or 'Stretch pants'. The journalist wrote in his article, sarcastically, hinting at her sexual appeal: 'I do not know for sure why whenever I see Nadine Albodair she revives my youth and I feel like a young man again’.

The attack on Albodair, is mainly because she left Saudi Arabia, though she works for a Saudi Channel outside Saudi Arabia and appears on television, unveiled wearing dresses that show her legs.

The attack against her was not limited to abusive articles and comments. The Saudi judge,  Metrif Albisher, demanded that she should be stripped of her Saudi nationality. His demands were published on Saudi ‘Sabaq’ news website, where he accused her of ‘repeatedly offending the Saudi nation and Saudi state establishments, and going too far without considering the limits of manners and good behaviour.'

The judge explained that she should be dealt with ‘so that fools will not follow suit or dare to insult Saudi State’s establishments or its judiciary system or its judges’. He also added referring to her ‘The fools must be punished because there are some people who are not deterred by preaching, counselling and advice. She must be persecuted because she went too far and insulted the state departments. For that reason she must be punished according to state proceedings of Saudi Arabia’.

The judge said,’ the worst thing is the fact that she works for a Saudi television Channel, and she has her own show on that channel, that is Rotana, and this indicates unlimited contradiction. She must be expelled from the channel. ‘he demanded.

The judge who attacked Abudair, demanding her dismissal from her job, did not dare say a word about her employer, Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal who happens to be the nephew of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. An entrepreneur and international investor whose personal wealth is estimated to be US$19.6 billion by Forbes, making him the 26th richest person in the world and richest Saudi Arabian.

Regarding the procedures, the Saudi judge proposed ‘the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, has its own lawyers and lawmakers, led by the guardian, they should complain to the competent authorities in Saudi Arabia, after listing her breaches, and documenting the evidence, she should be held accountable, and be brought from abroad to Saudi Arabia through Interpol to stand trial’

The Saudi judge explained ‘she is still subjected to the rules and procedure of the Saudi state as long as she carries the Saudi citizenship, and benefits from the services provided to her by the state  through her nationality’. He argued 'her criticism of the religious police is either motivated by seeking fame and attention or she is being dictated by a foreign party'.

On her part, Iqbal Tamimi, Director of Arab Women Media watch Centre in UK, commented on an article of news published by London based Alquds Alarabi newspaper on the subject, demanding an apology for Abodair from Saudi newspaper Asharq, explaining that what has been published on its pages by a male colleague against  Albodair, does not reflect the journalists codes of ethics or the manners of Saudis who would never tarnish the reputation of others in this despicable manner. She said that ‘his comments about Albodair’s legs are shameful for him and for other Saudi journalists, and regarding his sarcastic question 'I do not know for sure why whenever I see Nadine Albodair she revives my youth and I feel like a young man again’ Tamimi said ‘such question is a proof of immaturity, recklessness and lack of responsibility in estimating the consequences and harm he has done to his female colleague. His words lack modesty and considered an explicit sexual harassment. We are awaiting and looking forward to hearing the reaction of the Saudi journalists Committee.

It is worth mentioning that there is no journalists trade union yet in Saudi Arabia that can protect the rights of journalists.