28 May 2011

Germans quit Saudi travel fair over woman's clothes

A German tour operator pulled out of a Riyadh travel fair in protest at dress restrictions imposed on one of its female representatives, Saudi newspapers reported on Thursday.

Religious police demanded the German visitor change her abaya -- an all-encompassing black cloak worn by women in the ultraconservative Muslim power house -- because it was decorated with red embroidery, Al-Riyadh said.

It was the first time the German, herself a Muslim, visited Saudi Arabia.

Religious police, who escorted her to a taxi so that she would go and get changed, warned her not to speak of the incident but she burst out of the car "in tears," newspapers said. [AFP] Read more