Saudi Arabia’s King Asks Newspapers Not to Publish Images of Women
King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has told newspaper editors to stop publishing pictures of women as
they could lead young men astray. After a meeting with editors end of May, the king was reported in
the Saudi media as saying that “one needs to think if he would want his daughter, sister or wife to
appear like that. Of course, no one would”. Newspapers have recently broken with tradition and
have been including photographs of women, though all women shown were wearing headscarves
with their faces visible. They had also begun to debate women’s issues, such as being forbidden to
drive and vote. It is reported that King Abdullah also asked editors to censor any stories that are
critical of Saudi Arabia, a request that will not go ignored in a country where all media is subject to governmental control. Abdullah had been regarded by many Saudis as a quiet reformer who might
begin to loosen the strict social codes that govern the conservative Gulf state. In recent months,
however, many figures in the powerful religious establishment have used mosque sermons and
websites to criticise any move towards “liberalisation”.
Source: Feminist Daily News
