Saudi local religious police chief dismissed amid 'defamation' controversy

Abdulrahman al-Sanad, Manager of the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice's Riyadh branch was replaced by Sheikh Turki al-Shaleel, the former spokesperson for the controversial police agency.

Al-Shaleel, an avid advocate for reforming the ultraconservative religious police force, described the move as a step in the right direction especially after the group defamed a popular TV personality and journalist by sharing an image allegedly showing him inebriated.

The newly-instated head stressed the commission's determination to punish anyone involved in a libel case against the victim, Ali al-Alyani "or anyone else for that matter".

Human rights activist, Dr. Khalid Aba Oud who believes the committee has become a means to spite those with whom one has conflict, stressed the need for reform.

"It is a big problem that a journalist has been accused of such things just for criticising the committee," he told The New Arab.

"There needs to be firm intervention to prevent those who take advantage of the committee in order to take their revenge against others. The law does not allow defamation even if a crime is committed," he said.

He continued: "Members of the committee exceeded the all legal and religious boundaries in their handling of the matter and they must be punished and used as an example to others."

The committee also came under fire last week after a video emerged showing members of the religious police beating a woman in public

The committee also came under fire last week after a video emerged showing members of the religious police beating a woman in public for allegedly refusing to cover her face when told to do so.

The woman is heard crying out as she is aggressively thrown on the side of what seems to be a main road surrounded by men.

The group was mocked just a day earlier when an image was tweeted allegedly showing members of the religious committee arresting a mascot that was gesturing "inappropriately".

Saudis, who make up the region's largest Twitter users, regularly use the social media platform to criticise incidents involving the religious police.

Twitter user Janan wrote: "I am beginning to think the religious body deliberately cause these issues for the impact it has.

"Mascots having to wear headscarves is news to me. I think the body does these things to seek attention."

Speaking on the public beating of a female, women's rights campaigner, Suad al-Shamari tweeted: "However you look at it this is a shameful and farcical incident that breaks the heart. It's clear that we need a raft of laws that protect the weakest and preserve [people's] dignity, which has been trampled on the pavement."