Decades of
Rooted in a tragic incident from 1952 involving a royal family member’s lethal outburst, Saudi Arabia’s prohibition on alcohol has remained unwavering.
Since 1952, Saudi Arabia has upheld a stringent prohibition on alcohol, a policy etched into the nation’s legal framework following a harrowing episode involving a drunken prince from the royal family, who fatally shot a British diplomat in a fit of rage.
One of King Abdulaziz’s sons, Prince Mishari bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, got drunk and, in a rage, shot dead a British diplomat, Cyril Ousman.
During a gathering organized by the diplomat, who was the British vice-consul in Jeddah at the time, the 19-year-old prince fatally shot Ousman for declining to provide him with additional alcohol.
Subsequent to the incident, which resulted in Prince Mishari receiving a life sentence, King Abdulaziz Ibn Saud, the architect of the contemporary Saudi state, implemented a nationwide prohibition on alcohol.
Since then, individuals found guilty of alcohol consumption faced potential penalties including monetary fines, incarceration, public corporal punishment, and expulsion for non-citizens.
A quota-based system: Diplomats’ exclusive privilege
However, under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s transformative Vision 2030, whispers of potential alcohol availability have surfaced amidst broader societal reforms like the advent of cinemas and mixed-gender cultural events.
In a recent statement, the Saudi government unveiled its plan for a revamped regulatory framework aimed at curbing the illicit alcohol trade within diplomatic circles. This framework pledges to meticulously manage alcohol quantities entering the kingdom, marking a departure from the erstwhile unregulated scenario that spurred unmonitored alcohol circulation.
While this policy ensures a structured allocation of alcohol for non-Muslim embassies, it signals little immediate change for the majority of Saudi’s 32 million residents. For them, options remain limited to discreetly crafted homemade beverages, high-priced black market offerings, or travel outside the kingdom for alcohol consumption.
Stringent penalties and global ambitions: A delicate balance
Amidst aspirations to host global events like Expo 2030 and the 2034 World Cup, speculation about relaxed alcohol restrictions, especially in futuristic projects like NEOM, has intensified. Nonetheless, given alcohol’s prohibition in Islam and Saudi’s custodianship of Islam’s sacred sites, the topic is fraught with cultural and religious sensitivity. Officials, including deputy tourism minister Princess Haifa Al Saud, have, until recently, firmly upheld the prevailing laws, underscoring the complex interplay of tradition, reform, and global engagement shaping Saudi Arabia’s future.
(With inputs from agencies)