Saudi Arabia's decision to allow the sale of alcohol to non-Muslim diplomats, according to two sources, is the latest in a series of reforms aimed at creating a more open, moderate image.
Here are five other sweeping changes introduced in recent years under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whose reputation was dealt a major blow by the 2018 killing of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. –
In April 2018, Black Panther was the first film shown in Saudi Arabia in 35 years, when the country lifted a ban on cinemas imposed by its clerics in the 1970s. Riyadh has said it plans to open more than 300 cinemas by 2030. Like TV programmes, however, films are subject to strict selection and censorship to avoid depictions of sex, religion or politics.
In June 2018, Saudi Arabia lifted a decades-long ban on women driving - the only one of its kind in the world, which left women dependent on men for commuting and travelling. Since 2018, thousands of women have gotten behind the wheel, with some becoming mechanics and taxi drivers. The euphoria created by the move was, however, marred by a major crackdown on many of the women activists who had previously campaigned for the ban to be lifted.
Traveling without a male "guardian"
In 2019, Saudi women aged 21 or older were allowed to apply for a passport and travel abroad without first obtaining the consent of a male "guardian" – a husband, father or other male relative. The move marks a significant loosening of the controversial guardianship system, in which men exercise near-total power over women.
In an effort to reduce its dependence on oil revenue and diversify its economy, in September 2019 Saudi Arabia began opening up to tourism - so-called "white oil". Until then, Saudi Arabia only issued visas to Muslim pilgrims, expatriate workers or, since 2018, to people attending sporting and cultural events. A year earlier, Prince Mohammed announced a massive tourism project to turn 50 islands and a string of Red Sea locations into luxury resorts. However, tourists who violate the country's modest dress code risk heavy fines.
Long banned, in recent years men and women have been allowed to mix in public. Women were allowed into a football stadium to watch a match for the first time in 2018, and can now also attend concerts alongside men. They also no longer need to fear the guardians of public morality to bathe together on some beaches, and the rules on wearing abaya robes have been relaxed. Women, previously confined to a handful of careers, mainly in health and education, are now also facing men in the workplace. Millions of women have entered the workforce since 2016, becoming bankers, shoe salespeople, business owners and border workers, among other occupations. /BGNES, AFP
