Saudis temporarily free 19 Filipino women arrested in Halloween party

Nineteen Filipino women arrested in a raid at a Halloween party in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, have been temporarily released, the Department of Foreign Affairs said.

The Saudi authorities agreed to release the Filipinos to the custody of the Philippine embassy in Riyadh, the DFA said on Tuesday night in a statement that quoted a report to Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. by Ambassador Adnan Alonto.

The 19 women were among several Saudi and foreign nationals who were arrested while partying at a private compound in Riyadh last Friday. The compound was raided after neighbors complained of loud noise from the party.

According to Alonto, Saudi Chief Prosecutor Khalid Al Hozaimi provided the names of the 19 Filipinos who were detained at the Al Nisa jail.

Unattached people

The ambassador said authorities might still file charges against the Filipinos for violating Sharia, which prohibits interaction, especially in public, among unattached people.

The embassy has issued an advisory calling on members of the Filipino community to be mindful of local sensitivities and to respect the laws and traditions of the kingdom. —Jerome Aning