TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A Saudi official has spoken out against media reports claiming that the kingdom will repeal its 73-year-old alcohol ban. As reported by NDTV, the official denied lifting the ban on the substance prohibited for observant Muslims.
The reports, which were picked up by several international media outlets after being mentioned in a wine blog last week, stated that Saudi Arabia plans to allow controlled sales of alcohol. The ban is said to be lifted as the country gears up to host the 2034 World Cup. The reports did not mention any source for this information.
The reports sparked heated online debates in the conservative kingdom. King Salman of Saudi Arabia holds the title of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, the most revered places for Muslims in Mecca and Medina.
The de facto leader of Saudi Arabia, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, known as MBS, has been driving a series of reforms to open up the country to tourism and business as part of its effort to boost the non-oil sector, which has been the nation's major source of income.
The government ended the ban on women driving in 2017. Saudi Arabia has also relaxed some rules regarding gender segregation in public places and reduced the authority of the religious police.
A small step towards allowing the consumption of alcoholic beverages in the kingdom was the opening of the first alcohol store in the capital, Riyadh, last year. The store exclusively caters to non-Muslim diplomats. Previously, alcohol was only available through diplomatic mail or in the black market.
Saudi Arabia has strict laws regarding alcohol consumption, with violations punishable by deportation, fines, or imprisonment. Prison sentences have largely replaced the possibility of punishment by hundreds of lashes.
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