The Wire

In a dramatic and progressive move, the monarchy of Saudi Arabia has stripped away the power to arrest from its Mutawaa religious forces, and commanded them to be more gentle and humane when interacting with citizens.

For many years these religious officers have attracted criticism with their interfering and sometimes deadly enforcement of the kingdom’s extremely conservative Islamic codes.

Actions such as chasing people down the street, demanding people produce ID or proof of marriage, trapping people, and arresting people, will all now be forbidden to the Mutawaa.