Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — The social affairs committee of the Shoura Council has finalized its draft paper for a project to fight sexual harassment and will present it to the council's plenary session this week to decide if it is worthy of discussion or not, local daily Al-Madinah reported on Sunday. It said the proposed system to fight harassment consists of five years in prison, a fine of SR500,000 or both for anyone found guilty of the offense. The committee said the system aims to protect the privacy, dignity and personal freedom of men and women that are safeguarded by Islam. The system made it an obligation for government and private establishments to make the necessary arrangements to fight harassment. It said in addition to the court rule, disciplinary measures should be taken against the public or private employees who are accused of sexual harassment. The committee asked human rights organizations to spread awareness about such behavior. The council will discuss on Tuesday a project to fight begging. The project will recommend punishing anyone who is caught begging with two years in prison, a fine of SR20,000 and confiscation of all their properties and giving them to charity. Expatriate beggars will be banned from entering the Kingdom for five years. According to a report by the Social Affairs Ministry, a total of 23,274 beggars were caught in 2012, including 2,638 Saudis. Women constituted about 50 percent and children 38 percent of Saudi beggars. About 60 percent of expatriate beggars were men while the rest were children and women.
