Tuwaijiri, the regional director of the Call, Guidance and Community Awareness office in Al-Khobar, has said that his officials have stepped up their rounds to prevent the sale of gifts and roses related to celebrations of the new Gregorian year. “Inspectors have been sent out to shopping centers and gift and flower shops, some of which sell items related to Christmas and New Year celebrations, including ‘Father Christmas' dolls and red roses which symbolize love and encourage the celebration of such occasions,” Al-Tuwaijiri said. A source at the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (the Hai'a) said that the Hai'a in Al-Khobar had sent out teams to “deal with any open and public violations over the Christmas and New Year Days”. “The Hai'a has no knowledge of what may occur behind closed doors in people's houses and is not responsible for monitoring them,” he said. “The Hai'a's responsibilities are restricted to preventing any open celebrations in public places, on streets and highways and in shopping malls, while also promoting public awareness of the danger of being led into such violations of Shariah.” The Al-Khobar Hai'a's words echoed those of its spokesman in Riyadh, who said Wednesday that the organization's aim was “not to investigate houses or other closed places and make arrests”. “The Hai'a does not invade the privacy of homes or break into them without following proper procedures, in collaboration with other government agencies and with the permission of the Emir's Office,” said spokesman Turki Al-Shilayil. “Our main priority is to work for morality of people,” he added.
