Authorities in Tabuk region are investigating a complaint from a Saudi national against the Commission for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, the Hai'a, in Umluj Governorate because he said a Hai'a official tricked him into coming to the Hai'a office by making false accusations against his sister. S.M. Al-Jihani, the Saudi national, said he received a telephone call from the acting head of the Hai'a and was summoned to pick up his sister because “she has been arrested in a moral case.” But he quickly learned that the story was not true. “When I went to the Hai'a, I was surprised to learn that it was a trick to arrest me in another case,” he said. Muhammad Awadh Al-Zubaidi, spokesman of the Hai'a in Tabuk region, said he was on vacation and was not aware of the case. He demanded that information about the matter not be published. “I don't know about the background of the complaint,” he said. “I will investigate the issue and inform you later,” he said. Subsequently, Al-Zubaidi did not respond to numerous phone calls from Okaz/Saudi Gazette, despite his promise to explain the matter. Al-Jihani said the way he was tricked into coming to the Hai'a office is a violation of the Islamic Shariah. He said the Hai'a has no right to do this because such news spreads quickly and negatively affects the reputation of the girl and her family. He has lodged an official complaint at the governorate of Tabuk region, and called for formation of a specialist committee to investigate the matter and punish the violators. Al-Jihani, who is working as a security man, said the acting head of the Hai'a admitted to concocting the story so he would come to the office for an investigation into a complaint against him that had been made by another Saudi national. He added that the case dossier has been referred to the Umluj Governorate police. Al-Jihani said, “I'm working for the police. Why didn't they summon me through my department instead of weaving stories related to false accusations against girls that they were involved in moral cases? These accusations will have negative effect on my family's life and its reputation.” The Hai'a head asked to resolve the case by climbing on to the mosque's pulpit to announce his sister's innocence, provided that Al-Jihani drop his case. “But I rejected the offer and I'm demanding an investigation into the Hai'a center and punishment for those who have tainted my sister's reputation,” he said.
