Saudi Arabia is planning to authorize the sale of alcohol to non-Muslim diplomats in a primary, in accordance with sources.
Alcohol “will be sold to non-Muslim diplomats” who beforehand needed to import alcohol through a diplomatic pouch, one of many sources stated.
Prohibition has been the regulation of the land in Saudi Arabia since 1952, shortly after considered one of King Abdulaziz’s sons obtained drunk and, in a rage, shot useless a British diplomat.
Rumors have swirled for years that alcohol would turn out to be out there within the Gulf kingdom amid a wave of social reforms launched as a part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 reform agenda, amongst them the introduction of cinemas and mixed-gender music festivals.
A Saudi authorities assertion on Wednesday stated authorities have been introducing “a new regulatory framework… to counter the illicit trade of alcohol goods and products received by diplomatic missions.”
The assertion added: “The new process will focus on allocating specific quantities of alcohol goods when entering the Kingdom to put an end to the previous unregulated process that caused an uncontrolled exchange of such goods in the Kingdom.”
The guidelines in place till now depart most of Saudi Arabia’s 32 million individuals with few methods to imbibe.
Beyond attending diplomatic receptions, they’ll make do-it-yourself wine or flip to the black market, the place bottles of whiskey can go for tons of of {dollars} forward of holidays like New Year’s Eve.
Under Saudi regulation, penalties for consumption or possession of alcohol can embrace fines, jail time, public flogging and deportation for foreigners.
Source: www.dailysabah.com