Saudi: Harassers to be named and shamed

Saudi Arabia’s Shura Council on Wednesday passed a motion to name and shame sexual harassers as part of legal steps to fight sex offences in the country, local media reported.

A similar motion was previously blocked amid opposition from some members of the council, who argued that naming the offender also harms family members. Proponents, meanwhile, believe that introducing the name-and-shame penalty, already adopted in commercial wrongdoing in Saudi Arabia, would be a strong deterrence.

The House voted with majority on the proposal, based on a report from its Security Committee to add the suggested penalty to the anti-harassment legal system.

In 2018, the council approved a law to criminalise sexual harassment in the kingdom.

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