‘No Hai’a raids without approval of authorities’

RIYADH – Sheikh Dr. Abdullatif Bin Abdulaziz Aal Al-Sheikh, chief of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (Hai’a), said that the Hai’a does not conduct raids without coordinating with the authorities concerned.
He said a member of the Hai’a who violates this regulation will be held accountable for the wrongdoing, according to Al-Watan Arabic daily which published an interview with him.
In response to a question, Al-Sheikh said that the Hai’a does not issue its own directive to conduct a raid.
“This is not our method and we do not have powers to do that. We consult with the pertinent authorities and coordinate with them before we conduct a raid,” he said.
He pointed out that the Hai’a complies with all directives issued by the Kingdom’s authorities and Hai’a members who violate the directives are held accountable.
Al-Sheikh called on the media to quote only the official spokesmen of the Hai’a to ensure that the information is accurate. — SG