Saudi Arabia arrests Egyptian man for ‘offensive’ shared breakfast with woman
Labor Ministry says the expat is being held after the video spread on social media showing him being fed by a woman in a niqab
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Saudi authorities have arrested an Egyptian hotel worker who appeared in what officials described as an “offensive” video eating breakfast with a female co-worker.
The footage, which sparked outrage on social media in the ultra-conservative kingdom, showed the pair sharing a meal at a desk.
The woman, draped head-to-toe in Islamic niqab, is seen waving to the camera and feeding the man — who was filming — with her hand.
“The Labor Ministry arrested an expatriate in Jeddah after he appeared in an offensive video,” the ministry said in a statement on Sunday.
Local media has identified the man as an Egyptian national.
The ministry said the hotel owner had also been summoned for failing to adhere to government regulations that stipulate a gender-segregated workplace.
As the video sparked a torrent of criticism from arch-conservatives, the public prosecution urged expats in the kingdom to respect “values and traditions of Saudi society.”
In April, Saudi sports authorities shut down a female fitness center in Riyadh over a contentious promotional video that appeared to show a woman in tight gym clothes.
Later in June, Saudi Arabia sacked the head of its entertainment authority, following an online backlash against a circus featuring women wearing skintight leotards.
The Times of Israel Community.