RIYADH, 17 September 2006 — A video clip of the Saudi television comedy program “Tash Ma Tash” has drawn the ire of the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, the daily Al-Watan reported yesterday.
The report doesn’t describe the nature of the segment of the program that has not yet aired, but it reportedly lampoons members of the commission that act as the Kingdom’s vice patrol.
A source involved in the show’s production told the newspaper that the shows producers fully back the role of the commission and its agents that “encourage people to be virtuous and the keep away from violations of Shariah law.” He said the segment merely lampoons some of the commission’s members the same way it would target less scrupulous bureaucrats of any Saudi governmental organization rather than the organization itself.
“The segment never intended to mock or scorn the religious men who work for the commission,” said the unnamed source. “What it really sought was to point out the negative sides of a few of its officials. The serial’s team is aware that the commission plays a vital role in maintaining peace and stability in the country by protecting the people from falling into glaring mistakes.”
The source added that the clip of the segment was leaked before it had been screened by censors, who edit out elements of televisions shows and movies deemed inappropriate or “haram” (forbidden in Islam).